The Sunset Advisory Commission met Wednesday, September 24, to make recommendations on Sunset issues for the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC). The Commission considered the Sunset staff recommendations (released in May), the public testimony on those recommendations in June, and public comments.
Health care reforms in the past three sessions have primarily focused on public programs like CHIP and Medicaid. The decennial Sunset Review of TDI offers a unique opportunity for lawmakers to focus on health insurance reforms in the private market. (Click here the most recent Texas uninsured statistics) Texas Impact is disappointed that the Sunset Commission punted its current opportunity to strengthen the health insurance market. However, it is clear that the preliminary discussion around the sunset review process has elevated health insurance issues to be addressed in the House and Senate in the 81st Session.
Texas Impact, along with a coalition of other public interest groups, supported three key changes to the Sunset Staff report: Strengthen TDI’s rate oversight authority, prioritize consumer protections by redrafting the mission statement of TDI and strengthening the role of OPIC, focus on health insurance solutions through the development of a health innovations center within TDI. (Further explanation of these recommendations can be found in our report “A New Diagnosis”)
Representative McClendon offered two proposals to the commission. The first addressed a concern that the agencies mission statement does not express a clear responsibility to protect and serve consumers. The second proposal addressed making health insurance a priority by developing a center within TDI to focus on health insurance solutions. The Commission did not vote to include these items in the sunset bill but agreed to draft a letter commending the proposals to the chairs of relevant legislative committees. Senator Deuell proposed recommendations to strengthen health insurance rate regulation. The Commission voted not to include the recommendations in the sunset bill, but members agreed that a full discussion of rate regulation should occur on the House and Senate floor during session. Senator Deuell said he would file his recommendations as bills. The recommendation by the Sunset Staff to abolish OPIC was overturned by a unanimous vote from the Commission.
What Happens Next:
Now that the Sunset Commission has made its final recommendations on TDI and OPIC to the Sunset Staff, the Sunset Staff and Legislative Council will work together to draft the Commissions recommendations into an “introduce version” of the bill. As two separate government agencies there will be a separate sunset bill for both TDI and OPIC. However, since their agency functions are inherently linked they will likely be sponsored together. All sunset bills must be presented to the House and Senate. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Commission will work with legislative leadership to identify a legislator from both the House and the Senate to sponsor the bill. When sponsors have been identified, the Sunset Staff will partner with the sponsors to carry the bill through the remainder of the legislative process. Legislative leadership will likely commend the bill to the Insurance Committee in the House and the Government Organization, Business and Commerce, or Health Services Committees in the Senate. By the time the bill comes out of committee, amended, and eventually passed, the House and Senate versions are likely to be different resulting in the bill going to conference until receiving approval from both bodies.
What You Can Do:
Schedule a Visit with your Legislators- It is very important that legislators go into the 81st Session knowing that health care and health insurance are an important concern of their constituents.
Host a Screening and discussion of the PBS Film “Critical Condition” at your home, church, synagogue, or temple
Sign the Cover Texas Now Post Card and encourage your friends and family to sign. Packages of post cards and educational materials for you to hand out to others or bring to your group are available at no cost.
Share your Story- Fill out our online story collection form so we can share your story with legislators and their staff. (coming soon)
Testify- While the bill is in committee it will be open to public testimony. Call us to find out how.
Write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper.
Vote!
