Key Bill Updates
Two of TALHI’s key bills, SB 519 by Hancock relating to temporary license agent training time and SB 520 by Creighton relating to provisional permits for certain insurance agents, will be heard in the Senate Business and Commerce Committee next Tuesday, March 21, at 8:00 AM in E1.016 of the Texas Capitol. Another bill of interest, SB 1070 Credit for Reinsurance Model by Hancock, is also posted for Tuesday. TALHI will be dropping a card in support as well as submitting a joint letter in support of SB 1070 with ACLI. Several other TDI Biennial Report bills will be heard at this hearing, including SB 1071, SB 1072, and SB 1073.  As a reminder, you can watch Senate business online live. 

In addition, HB 1566, the balance billing mediation bill, will be heard in House Insurance on Tuesday. TALHI supports this bill. The committee will also be meeting Tuesday, March 21, at 8:00 AM in E2.016. View House business online here.   

Bill Filing Deadline
The deadline for legislators to file bills to be considered by the Texas Senate and House this session was 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 10, 2017. The filing deadline does not apply to local bills, concurrent resolutions or simple resolutions. A total of 4,361 HBs/HJRs and 2,293 SBs/SJRs were filed for a total of 6,654 bills. 2,374 were filed in the last week. That compares to:

• 2017 bills filed by the deadline - 6,654
• 2015 bills filed by the deadline - 6,107
• 2013 bills filed by the deadline - 5,665
• 2011 bills filed by the deadline - 5,672
• 2009 bills filed by the deadline - 7,136

TDI Data Call
TDI recently released a bulletin announcing a data call for health benefit plan reimbursement rates. Bulletin #B0002-17 calls for the collection of information for the Health Care Claims Reimbursement Rate Report. The 2016 report will capture data regarding claims payments from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016, and must be submitted to TDI by no later than May 1, 2017. 

The Health Care Claims Reimbursement Rate Report applies to issuers of preferred provider benefit plans, health maintenance organization plans, and specified governmental employee plans under Chapters 1551, 1575, 1579, and 1601 of the TIC. Data is to be submitted electronically on the prescribed form be located on the TDI website. Exemptions are permitted to issuers with fewer than 20,000 covered lives as of the last day of the applicable reporting period. 

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!

TALHI Member Call 9 AM Next Week
The next TALHI member call will be held on Wednesday, March 22, at 9 am Central. Please note the time change to accommodate the reading of the Will Davis Memorial Resolution at the Capitol at 10 am. To call in, dial 1-888-537-7715 and enter code 987-111-987# when prompted. An agenda will be posted next week.