Reducing Mandates

Texas Employers Lead the Way in Health Coverage

Government mandates and overregulation hinder innovation and add costs to an already expensive system. This expense is borne by employers and families through increasingly unaffordable premiums.

Despite Texas’ business friendly, low-regulation reputation, Texas ranks third in the nation when it comes to regulations that go beyond the federal requirements of the ACA. In 2021, Texas reached a high-water mark for excessive regulations that drive up insurance costs in the Lone Star State.

Last year, Texans faced an average premium increase of 13% while premiums were flat nationally. In a recent survey, employers overwhelmingly opposed new government mandates and interference in contracting to negotiate more affordable health care services.

The result of overregulation and new mandates is more expensive health insurance for everyone with little or no additional benefits for patients.

Seeing what some new mandates will cost, the Legislature often exempts their health insurance from such requirements but requires private employers to comply with these costly new requirements. For example, last session ERS and TRS were exempted from costly new pharmacy mandates.

TAHP will oppose a mandate if it:

 

Increases the cost of coverage

Exempts legislators’ personal health coverage through ERS and other state-funded coverage to avoid the cost

Isn’t evidence-based and backed by the medical community

Rewards price gouging and stands in the way of efforts to lower prices

Narrows coverage options and limits flexibility of benefit design

Doesn’t address a problem or is already being covered

Allows fraud, waste, and abuse

Featured Reducing Mandates Resources

Reducing Mandates Resources

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Policy Papers

TAHP Presentations

101s

Testimonies

Comment Letters

Legislative Briefs

News

Mandate Cost Transparency

Health Care Mandate Testimony for House Insurance 9.5.24

Legislators Need to Know the Cost of Health Care Mandates

TAHP Opposes HB 907: Don’t Eliminate Protections of Prior Authorization

Coalition Letter Supporting SB 1581: HIMARC

One-Pager Opposing SB 1220: Don’t Mandate Coverage For Non-Medical Drivers of Health

Coalition Letter Opposing SB 724/HB 1726/SB 1043: Telehealth Payment Parity Mandates

Testimony Opposing SB 1723: Backdated HMO Referrals

Testimony Opposing SB 1220: First Episode Psychosis Mandate

Testimony Opposing SB 1666: Insurer’s Obligation For Continuity Of Care

One-Pager Opposing SB 1666: Insurer’s Obligation for Continuity of Care

Testimony Opposing HB 1452: Fetal Tissue Disposition Mandate

Coalition Letter Opposing CSHB 2021: ERISA Prescription Drug Mandate

Testimony Opposing HB 134: Cranial Remolding

Testimony Opposing HB 4713: First Episode Psychosis

One-Pager on HB 3359: Network Adequacy Standards

Testimony On HB 3848: Ambulance Network Adequacy

Testimony Opposing HB 4067: Annual HMO Exams for UR and RX

Testimony Opposing HB 3195: Claims Payment Review Process

Coalition Letter Supporting SB 1581: HIMARC

Testimony On HB 755: One PA for 12 Months for Prescription Drugs

One-Pager Supporting HB 1581: HIMARC

Testimony Supporting HB 1581: HIMARC

Testimony Opposing HB 3098: Prohibiting Direction to Affiliate Providers

Coalition Letter Supporting HB 1001 and SB 605: Mandate-Lite Options

Expanding Affordable Coverage Options

Testimony Opposing HB 916: 12-Month Contraceptive Mandate

Testimony Supporting HB 1001: Mandate Lite Coverage

Healthier Texans Through Healthier Markets

Mandate Cost Transparency

Coalition Letter Supporting SB 1581: HIMARC

Coalition Letter Opposing SB 724/HB 1726/SB 1043: Telehealth Payment Parity Mandates

Coalition Letter Opposing CSHB 2021: ERISA Prescription Drug Mandate

Coalition Letter Supporting SB 1581: HIMARC

Coalition Letter Supporting HB 1001 and SB 605: Mandate-Lite Options

Expanding Affordable Coverage Options

Healthier Texans Through Healthier Markets

Health Care Mandate Testimony for House Insurance 9.5.24

Testimony Opposing SB 1723: Backdated HMO Referrals

Testimony Opposing SB 1220: First Episode Psychosis Mandate

Testimony Opposing SB 1666: Insurer’s Obligation For Continuity Of Care

Testimony Opposing HB 1452: Fetal Tissue Disposition Mandate

Testimony Opposing HB 134: Cranial Remolding

Testimony Opposing HB 4713: First Episode Psychosis

Testimony On HB 3848: Ambulance Network Adequacy

Testimony Opposing HB 4067: Annual HMO Exams for UR and RX

Testimony Opposing HB 3195: Claims Payment Review Process

Testimony On HB 755: One PA for 12 Months for Prescription Drugs

Testimony Supporting HB 1581: HIMARC

Testimony Opposing HB 3098: Prohibiting Direction to Affiliate Providers

Testimony Opposing HB 916: 12-Month Contraceptive Mandate

Testimony Supporting HB 1001: Mandate Lite Coverage

One-Pager Opposing SB 1220: Don’t Mandate Coverage For Non-Medical Drivers of Health

One-Pager Opposing SB 1666: Insurer’s Obligation for Continuity of Care

One-Pager on HB 3359: Network Adequacy Standards

One-Pager Supporting HB 1581: HIMARC

Legislators Need to Know the Cost of Health Care Mandates

TAHP Opposes HB 907: Don’t Eliminate Protections of Prior Authorization

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