Texas HB 154: Relating to establishing a program designed to ensure health benefit plan coverage to certain children through the private marketplace.

Bill Text

By:AABernal H.B.ANo.A154
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishing a program designed to ensure health
benefit plan coverage to certain children through the private
marketplace.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTIONA1.AASubtitle I, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 540 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 540. PROGRAM TO ENSURE HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN COVERAGE FOR
CERTAIN CHILDREN THROUGH PRIVATE MARKET SOLUTIONS
Sec.A540.0001.AAPROGRAM FOR HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN COVERAGE FOR
CHILDREN THROUGH PRIVATE MARKET SOLUTIONS. The commission in
consultation with the commissioner of insurance shall develop and
implement a program that helps connect certain children in this
state with health benefit plan coverage through private market
solutions.
Sec.A540.0002.AAENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY. (a) Subject to
Subsection (b), a child is eligible to enroll in a program designed
and established under this chapter if the child:
(1)AAis younger than 19 years of age;
(2)AAis not eligible for benefits under Medicaid or the
child health plan program because of applicable income limits; and
(3)AAdoes not have health benefit coverage under a
health benefit plan because the child’s family does not have access
to or cannot afford a plan through the private marketplace,
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including:
(A)AAan employer-sponsored health benefit plan;
or
(B)AAa health benefit plan for which an enrollee
receives a premium subsidy under the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No.A111-148) due to the amount of
family income.
(b)AAThe executive commissioner shall further define the
program’s eligibility requirements, including defining income
requirements necessary to enroll in the program.
Sec.A540.0003.AAMINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. A program
designed and established under this chapter must:
(1)AAprovide premium assistance to purchase health
benefit plan coverage for a child in the private market; and
(2)AAuse technology to maximize the efficiency with
which the commission and any health benefit plan issuer manages
enrollee participation.
Sec.A540.0004.AARULES. The executive commissioner may adopt
rules necessary to implement this chapter.
SECTIONA2.AAAs soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall develop and implement the program
required by Chapter 540, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTIONA3.AAIf before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTIONA4.AAThis Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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