Key Bill Updates
TALHI bills continued to move through the Texas legislative process this week. Our provisional work authority bill, SB 520, and the temporary license training time extension bill, SB 519, both had hearings in Senate Business & Commerce on Tuesday. Since the identical House Bills are likely to be referred to Senate Business & Commerce in the next week or so, the committee left the Senate Bills pending and will swap out the HBs for the pending SBs. This way the HBs will not need a separate, duplicative hearing and they can just move on to the Senate floor.

TALHI's version of the NCOIL Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Model was successfully voted out of House Insurance on Tuesday, as substituted. The substitute is not online yet, but it makes very minor changes to the bill, cleaning up drafting errors and adding agreed-upon clarifying language. The bill as substituted will now be considered by the House Calendar Committee and placed on the appropriate House Calendar. The Senate version has not yet been set for hearing but it is likely they are waiting for the House Bill to come over.

The Credit for Reinsurance Model, SB 1070, had a hearing in the Senate on Tuesday. A link to testimony is on the TALHI homepage. Proponents of the bill are working with bill author Chairman Kelly Hancock to possibly add clarifying language to the bill to address Senator Taylor's concerns. Industry has also been meeting with Senator Taylor.

TALH Director Nominated to TSAE Board
TALHI is pleased to announce that Executive Director Jennifer Cawley has been nominated to serve on the Board of Directors for the Texas Society of Association Executives. TSAE is the premier organization for Texas associations, comprised of more than 1,000 association professionals who represent Texas-based associations and societies. Jennifer has been a TSAE member for several years, and has participated in the prestigious Leadership TSAE program.

Texas Reception at NAIC in Denver
If you or your colleagues are planning to attend the NAIC conference in Denver, be sure to join us at our Texas Reception. The reception, which includes TALHI members and TDI staff, will take place on Sunday, April 9, from 5-6:30 pm, at the Altitude Restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Denver. RSVPs are appreciated. We hope to see you there!

Save the Date for Health Care CEO Forum
We're excited to announce the upcoming Health Care CEO Forum with partners America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), FirstCare Health Plans, and the Texas Association of Health Plans (TAHP).

This half-day forum on June 7 in Austin provides a casual, non-competitive environment for top-level discussion among peers:

  • Gain insight into where we are in regards to "reforming Reform" with Avik Roy, President, Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP)
  • Share innovations and successes in delivery system reform with Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, CEO, Aledade, Inc.
  • Discover state-level trends in Medicaid with Patricia Boozang, Senior Managing Director, Manatt Health; Gary Jessee, Deputy Executive Commissioner for Medical and Social Services, Texas Health and Human Services Commission; Esteban López, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Market President, Southwest, Texas, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas; and Pamela Morris, President & CEO, CareSource

Participation in the Health Care CEO Forum is strictly limited to a select group of health care industry leaders, including AHIP member health plan CEOs and their senior leadership teams, and TAHP and TALHI member organization CEOs and their senior leadership teams.

Immediately following the Health Care CEO Forum is AHIP's Institute & Expo, June 7-9, also in Austin. The agenda is filled with sessions that offer insight into the key issues and trends that are fundamental to making our health care system work better, as well as big-picture thinking that can help your teams across the board. Visit the website for agenda details and register before April 26 to take advantage of Early Registration Discounts.

TALHI Member Call Next Week
The next TALHI member call will be held on Wednesday, March 29, at 10 am Central. To call in, dial 1-888-537-7715 and enter code 333-456-333# when prompted. An agenda will be posted next week.

Calendar

March 29, 2017, 10 am Central
TALHI Member Call

April 9, 2017, 5 pm Central
TALHI Texas Reception at NAIC

June 7, 2017
Health Care CEO Forum, Austin

September 24-26, 2017
TALHI Round Up, Austin Four Seasons

Jennifer Cawley
Executive Director
(512) 656-2850 (Mobile)
(512) 472-6886 (Office)