Sec. 1501.156.  EMPLOYEE ENROLLMENT;  WAITING PERIOD.  (a)  The initial enrollment period under a small employer health benefit plan for employees and dependents must be at least 31 days, with a 31-day open enrollment period provided annually.
(b)  A small employer may establish a waiting period not to exceed 90 days from the first day of employment.
(c)  A small employer health benefit plan issuer may not deny coverage to a new employee of a covered small employer or the employee's dependents if the issuer receives an application for coverage not later than the 31st day after the date employment begins or on completion of a waiting period established under Subsection (b).
(d)  A small employer health benefit plan issuer may deny coverage to a late enrollee until the next annual open enrollment period and may subject the enrollee to a one-year preexisting condition provision as described by Section 1501.102.  The period during which the preexisting condition provision applies may not exceed 18 months from the date of the initial application.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1274, Sec. 3, eff. April 1, 2005.