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Texas bill would allow bundling group health with work comp

Posted On: Nov. 21, 2022 10:12 AM CST

Texas

Texas companies may soon be able to offer their employees a workers compensation plan with accident and health coverage on the same policy, potentially increasing the number of insured workers throughout the state.

H.B. 351, filed Nov. 14, would allow workers compensation insurance companies to contract with their counterparts in accident and health insurance to offer employers a packaged coverage plan.

While H.B. 351 would allow insurers to bundle coverage, it would not authorize comp insurers to write group accident and health insurance policies. The measure would require that the group health policy “be provided by an entity that is authorized to write group accident and health insurance and is separate from the workers’ compensation insurance company.”

The bill would allow packaged plans to provide benefits for industrial injuries through the group accident and health policy, it prohibits any cost-sharing requirements for work comp medical benefits.

H.B. 351 would also require any employee contributions for group accident and health coverage to exclude any portion of premiums allocated to the work comp benefits.

Similarly, the measure would prohibit providers from pursuing a private claim against a work comp claimant covered by a packaged plan for any part of the cost of services provided for an industrial injury, except those allowed under state law.

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