HBA-AMW S.B. 505 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 505
By: Brown, J. E. "Buster"
Higher Education
4/16/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, students enrolled at health component institutions of higher
education (institution) are not required to have health benefit plan
coverage in effect upon enrollment at the institution.  Students enrolled
at such institutions could be exposed to greater health risks than other
student populations due to the direct patient contact in medical and dental
care facilities.  Such students are usually older, not eligible for health
insurance coverage under their parent's policy, and often uninsured.
Required health insurance coverage may help relieve the financial burden
imposed on uninsured students and institutions in the event of an
unexpected illness or accident.  Senate Bill 505 authorizes a medical and
dental unit to require students at the institution to obtain health
insurance coverage upon enrollment. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 505 amends the Education Code to authorize the governing board
of a medical and dental unit (governing board) to require a student
enrolled at a medical and dental unit to have in effect during the calendar
year of enrollment a health insurance policy for health care services
received by the student.  The bill requires the governing board to
determine the minimum coverage standards for the required health insurance.
The bill requires the medical and dental unit, if the student agrees in
writing, to provide a reasonable estimate of the cost of the health
insurance coverage within the student's cost of education for financial aid
purposes.  If a governing board requires health insurance coverage for
students, the bill authorizes a student to be provisionally enrolled at the
medical and dental unit for one academic session without the coverage to
allow the student time to obtain the coverage.  The bill authorizes the
governing board to adopt rules and regulations as it determines necessary
to carry out the provisions regarding required health care coverage for
students. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect August 27, 2001.