Testimony to the Texas Department of Insurance
by Clayton Travis
The clear legislative intent of Senate Bill 1795 as outlined by the author is to provide additional regulation of navigators as defined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) only where federal regulation is lacking. The proposed rule defines navigators too broadly and catches many essential community educators and the general public within its reach. While many groups (such as Certified Application Counselors and those regulated by other state or federal departments) are intentionally carved out, groups providing public education, anyone using the term "navigator”, or a friend or family member providing assistance to a consumer are not. There is no need to have these entities regulated and registered with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).