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2005 California Health and Safety Code Sections 1389.1-1389.3 Article 7.5. Underwriting Practices
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODESECTION 1389.1-1389.3
1389.1. (a) The director shall not approve any plan contract unless the director finds that the application conforms to both of the following requirements: (1) All applications for coverage which include health-related questions shall contain clear and unambiguous questions designed to ascertain the health condition or history of the applicant. (2) The application questions related to an applicant's health shall be based on medical information that is reasonable and necessary for medical underwriting purposes. The application shall include a prominently displayed notice that shall read: "California law prohibits an HIV test from being required or used by health care service plans as a condition of obtaining coverage." (b) Nothing in this section shall authorize the director to establish or require a single or standard application form for application questions. 1389.2. At the request of the director, a health care service plan shall provide a written statement of the actuarial basis for any medical underwriting decision on any application form, or contract issued or delivered to, or denied a resident of this state. 1389.25. (a) (1) This section shall apply only to a full service health care service plan offering health coverage in the individual market in California and shall not apply to a specialized health care service plan, a health care service plan contract in the Medi-Cal program (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code), a health care service plan conversion contract offered pursuant to Section 1373.6, a health care service plan contract in the Healthy Families Program (Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code), or a health care service plan contract offered to a federally eligible defined individual under Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 1366.35). (2) A local initiative, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 53810 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, that is awarded a contract by the State Department of Health Services pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 53800 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, shall not be subject to this section unless the plan offers coverage in the individual market to persons not covered by Medi-Cal or the Healthy Families Program. (b) (1) A health care service plan that declines to offer coverage or denies enrollment for an individual or his or her dependents applying for individual coverage or that offers individual coverage at a rate that is higher than the standard rate, shall provide the individual applicant with the specific reason or reasons for the decision in writing at the time of the denial or offer of coverage. (2) No change in the premium rate or coverage for an individual plan contract shall become effective unless the plan has delivered a written notice of the change at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the contract renewal or the date on which the rate or coverage changes. A notice of an increase in the premium rate shall include the reasons for the rate increase. (3) The written notice required pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be delivered to the individual contractholder at his or her last address known to the plan, at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the change. The notice shall state in italics either the actual dollar amount of the premium rate increase or the specific percentage by which the current premium will be increased. The notice shall describe in plain, understandable English any changes in the plan design or any changes in benefits, including a reduction in benefits or changes to waivers, exclusions, or conditions, and highlight this information by printing it in italics. The notice shall specify in a minimum of 10-point bold typeface, the reason for a premium rate change or a change to the plan design or benefits. (4) If a plan rejects an applicant or the dependents of an applicant for coverage or offers individual coverage at a rate that is higher than the standard rate, the plan shall inform the applicant about the state's high-risk health insurance pool, the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (Part 6.5 (commencing with Section 12700) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code). The information provided to the applicant by the plan shall specifically include the program's toll-free telephone number and its Internet Web site address. The requirement to notify applicants of the availability of the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program shall not apply when a health plan rejects an applicant for Medicare supplement coverage. (c) A notice provided pursuant to this section is a private and confidential communication and at the time of application, the plan shall give the individual applicant the opportunity to designate the address for receipt of the written notice in order to protect the confidentiality of any personal or privileged information. 1389.3. No health care service plan shall engage in the practice of postclaims underwriting. For purposes of this section, "postclaims underwriting" means the rescinding, canceling, or limiting of a plan contract due to the plan's failure to complete medical underwriting and resolve all reasonable questions arising from written information submitted on or with an application before issuing the plan contract. This section shall not limit a plan's remedies upon a showing of willful misrepresentation. 1389.3. (a) A full service health care service plan that markets and sells individual health plan contracts shall be subject to this section. (b) A health care service plan subject to this section shall have written policies, procedures, or underwriting guidelines establishing the criteria and process whereby the plan makes its decision to provide or to deny coverage to individuals applying for coverage and sets the rate for that coverage. These guidelines, policies, or procedures shall assure that the plan rating and underwriting criteria comply with Sections 1365.5 and 1389.1 and all other applicable provisions of state and federal law. (c) On or before June 1, 2006, and annually thereafter, every health care service plan shall file with the department a general description of the criteria, policies, procedures, or guidelines the plan uses for rating and underwriting decisions related to individual health plan contracts, which means automatic declinable health conditions, health conditions that may lead to a coverage decline, height and weight standards, health history, health care utilization, lifestyle, or behavior that might result in a decline for coverage or severely limit the plan products for which they would be eligible. A plan may comply with this section by submitting to the department underwriting materials or resource guides provided to plan solicitors or solicitor firms, provided that those materials include the information required to be submitted by this section. (d) Commencing September 1, 2006, the director shall post on the department's Web site, in a manner accessible and understandable to consumers, general, noncompany specific information about rating and underwriting criteria and practices in the individual market and information about the Major Risk Medical Insurance Program. The director shall develop the information for the Web site in consultation with the Department of Insurance to enhance the consistency of information provided to consumers. Information about individual health coverage shall also include the following notification: "Please examine your options carefully before declining group coverage or continuation coverage, such as COBRA, that may be available to you. You should be aware that companies selling individual health insurance typically require a review of your medical history that could result in a higher premium or you could be denied coverage entirely." (e) Nothing in this section shall authorize public disclosure of company-specific rating and underwriting criteria and practices submitted to the director.
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