Bill > HB138

This bill establishes the Health Impact, Cost, and Coverage Analysis Program (the "analysis program") at the Center for Health Care Data at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The program will be responsible for conducting comprehensive analyses of proposed legislative mandates that would impact health benefit plan issuers, assessing potential effects on public health, healthcare costs, coverage, and administrative expenses. Authorized state leaders like the lieutenant governor or committee chairs can request these analyses, which must examine factors such as potential health benefits, cost implications, expected changes in healthcare service usage, and the scientific evidence supporting proposed healthcare services. The program will use existing statewide claims data and peer-reviewed literature to conduct these assessments. To fund the program, the comptroller will assess an annual fee on health benefit plan issuers, prorated based on the number of covered lives, with some exemptions for specific types of health plans. The center must prepare detailed written reports of its analyses within 30-60 days of receiving a request and make these reports publicly available. The bill also includes provisions to ensure the independence and objectivity of the program by requiring employees to avoid conflicts of interest and prohibiting simultaneous employment with health benefit plan issuers. The program is scheduled to be fully established by January 1, 2026, with initial cost estimates and fee assessments to begin in 2025.

Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB138