Bill Text: TX HB1461 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to a study by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas regarding the use of health reimbursement accounts in conjunction with Medicare plans available through the individual marketplace to provide health and pharmacy benefit coverage for certain retired school employees.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-26 - Removed from local & uncontested calendar [HB1461 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB1461-Comm_Sub.html
| By: Parker, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Creighton) | H.B. No. 1461 | |
| (In the Senate - Received from the House April 19, 2021; | ||
| May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on | ||
| Education; May 19, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: | ||
| Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 19, 2021, sent to printer.) | ||
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| relating to a study by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas | ||
| regarding the use of health reimbursement accounts in conjunction | ||
| with Medicare plans available through the individual marketplace to | ||
| provide health and pharmacy benefit coverage for certain retired | ||
| school employees. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. STUDY. (a) The Teacher Retirement System of | ||
| Texas shall conduct a study to evaluate the use of health | ||
| reimbursement accounts in conjunction with Medicare plans | ||
| available through the individual marketplace as a means to provide | ||
| health and pharmacy benefit coverage under Chapter 1575, Insurance | ||
| Code, for Medicare-eligible retired school employees and their | ||
| spouses. | ||
| (b) The evaluation must consider: | ||
| (1) using claims experience and premium data from the | ||
| most recent two years, the affordability and availability of | ||
| Medicare plans available through the individual marketplace to | ||
| Medicare-eligible retirees and their spouses compared to health | ||
| benefit plans available to those retirees and their spouses under | ||
| Chapter 1575, Insurance Code; | ||
| (2) provider availability under Medicare plans | ||
| available through the individual marketplace; and | ||
| (3) any other items the Teacher Retirement System of | ||
| Texas determines are relevant to the system's long-term ability to | ||
| provide health and pharmacy benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees | ||
| and their spouses considering the demographic, geographic, and | ||
| socioeconomic characteristics of the Medicare-eligible retirees | ||
| and spouses participating in the group program under Chapter 1575, | ||
| Insurance Code. | ||
| (c) In conducting the study under this section, the Teacher | ||
| Retirement System of Texas: | ||
| (1) may contract or collaborate with entities having | ||
| industry-leading expertise and experience in the individual | ||
| marketplace; and | ||
| (2) shall invite comment and input from interested | ||
| stakeholders, including active and retired school employees. | ||
| SECTION 2. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2021, the | ||
| Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall submit to the governor, | ||
| lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and | ||
| Legislative Budget Board a written report of the study conducted | ||
| under Section 1 of this Act. The report must include the findings | ||
| and legislative recommendations of the Teacher Retirement System of | ||
| Texas. | ||
| SECTION 3. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires January 1, | ||
| 2023. | ||
| SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect | ||
| immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members | ||
| elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas | ||
| Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for | ||
| immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
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