Sec 20-2304. Availability of insurance; premium tax exemption

A. As a condition of doing business in this state, each accountable health plan shall offer at least one health benefits plan on a guaranteed issuance basis to small employers as required by this section. All small employers qualify for this guaranteed offer of coverage. The accountable health plan shall provide a health benefits plan to each small employer without regard to health status-related factors if the small employer agrees to make the premium payments and to satisfy any other reasonable provisions of the plan that are not inconsistent with this chapter.

B. If an accountable health plan offers more than one health benefits plan to small employers, the accountable health plan shall offer a choice of all health benefits plans that the accountable health plan offers to small employers and shall accept any small employer that applies for any of those plans.

C. For any offering of any health benefits plan to a small employer, as part of the accountable health plan's solicitation and sales materials, an accountable health plan shall make a reasonable disclosure to the employer of the availability of the information described in this subsection and, on request of the employer, shall provide that information to the employer. The accountable health plan shall provide information concerning the following:

1. Provisions of coverage relating to the following, if applicable:

(a) The accountable health plan's right to change premium rates and the factors that may affect changes in premium rates.

(b) Renewability of coverage.

(c) Any preexisting condition exclusion.

(d) Any affiliation period applied by a health care services organization.

(e) The geographic areas served by health care services organizations.

2. The benefits and premiums available under all health benefits plans for which the employer is qualified.

D. The accountable health plan shall describe the information required by subsection C of this section in language that is understandable by the average small employer and with a level of detail that is sufficient to reasonably inform a small employer of the employer's rights and obligations under the health benefits plan. This requirement is satisfied if the accountable health plan provides each of the following for each product the accountable health plan offers:

1. An outline of coverage that describes the benefits in summary form.

2. The rate or rating schedule that applies to the product, preexisting condition exclusion or affiliation period.

3. The minimum employer contribution and group participation rules that apply to any particular type of coverage.

4. In the case of a network plan, a map or listing of the areas served.

E. An accountable health plan is not required to disclose any information that is proprietary and protected trade secret information under applicable law.

F. An accountable health plan that issues a health benefits plan through a network plan may limit the employers that may apply for any health benefits plan offered by the accountable health plan to those eligible individuals who live, work or reside in the service area for the network plan of the accountable health plan.

G. On approval of the director, an accountable health plan may refuse to enroll a qualified small employer in a health benefits plan or in a geographic area served by the plan if the accountable health plan demonstrates that its financial or administrative capacity to serve previously enrolled groups and individuals would be impaired. An accountable health plan that refuses to enroll a qualified small employer may not enroll an employer of the same or larger size until the earlier of:

1. The date on which the director determines that the accountable health plan has the capacity to enroll a qualified small employer.

2. The date on which the accountable health plan enrolls a qualified small employer.

H. An accountable health plan that offers coverage to a qualified small employer shall offer coverage to all of the eligible employees of the qualified small employer and their eligible dependents.

I. An accountable health plan may request health screening and underwriting information on prospective enrollees to evaluate the risks associated with a qualified small employer who applies for coverage. The accountable health plan may use this information for the purposes of setting premiums, evaluating plan offerings and making reinsurance decisions. An accountable health plan shall not use this information to deny coverage to a qualified small employer or to an eligible employee or to an eligible dependent, except a late enrollee who attempts to enroll outside an open enrollment period.

J. Accountable health plans are exempt from the premium taxes that are required by section 20-224, subsection B and sections 20-837, 20-1010 and 20-1060 for the net premiums received for health benefits plans issued to small employers, including the net premiums collected from coverage issued pursuant to section 20-2313, subsection C. Each accountable health plan shall notify the small employers to whom it provides coverage of the reductions in the premium tax as specified in this subsection.

K. The director may use independent contractor examiners pursuant to sections 20-148 and 20-159 to review the higher level of coverage and lower level of coverage health benefits plans offered by an accountable health plan insurer in compliance with this section. All examination and examination related expenses shall be borne by the insurer and shall be paid by the insurance examiners' revolving fund pursuant to section 20-159.