2016 Delaware Code
Title 18 - Insurance Code
CHAPTER 36. INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE MINIMUM STANDARDS
§ 3608. Renewability of coverage.

(a) An individual health benefit plan shall be renewable with respect to an enrollee or dependents at the option of the enrollee, except in any of the following cases:

(1) The individual has failed to pay premiums or contributions in accordance with the terms of the health benefit plan or the health carrier has not received timely premium payments;

(2) The individual has performed an act or practice that constitutes fraud or made an intentional misrepresentation of material fact under the terms of the coverage;

(3) A decision by the individual carrier to discontinue offering a particular type of health benefit plan in the state's individual insurance market. A type of health benefit plan may be discontinued by the carrier in the individual market only if the carrier:

a. Provides notice of the decision not to renew coverage to all affected individuals and to the Commissioner in each state in which an affected insured individual is known to reside at least 90 days prior to the nonrenewal of any health benefit plans by the carrier. Notice to the Commissioner under this subparagraph shall be provided at least 3 working days prior to the notice to the affected individuals;

b. Offers to each individual provided the particular type of health benefit plan the option to purchase all other health benefit plans currently being offered by the carrier to individuals in the state; and

c. In exercising the option to discontinue the particular type of health benefit plan and, in offering the option of coverage under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the carrier acts uniformly without regard to the claims experience of any affected individual or any health status-related factor relating to any covered individuals or beneficiaries who may become eligible for the coverage;

(4) The carrier elects to discontinue offering and to nonrenew all its individual health benefit plans delivered or issued for delivery in the state. In that case, the carrier shall provide notice of its decision not to renew coverage to all enrollees and to the Commissioner in each state in which an enrollee is known to reside at least 180 days prior to the nonrenewal of the health benefit plan by the carrier. Notice to the Commissioner under this paragraph shall be provided at least 3 working days prior to the notice of the enrollees;

(5) The Commissioner finds that the continuation of the coverage would not be in the best interests of the enrollees, the plan is obsolete or would impair the carrier's ability to meet its contractual obligations. Once the Commissioner has made such a finding, the carrier shall provide notice to each affected covered individual provided coverage of this type of such discontinuation and shall provide each affected covered individual the opportunity to purchase any other individual health insurance coverage being offered by the carrier. In exercising this option, the carrier shall act uniformly without regard for any health status-related factor of enrolled individuals or individuals who may become eligible for such coverage;

(6) The Commissioner finds that the product form is being uniformly modified and is being replaced with comparable coverage.

(b) An individual carrier that elects not to renew all its health benefit plans under paragraph (a)(4) of this section shall be prohibited from writing new business in the individual market in this State for a period of 5 years from the date of the discontinuation of the last health benefit plan not so renewed.

(c) In the case of an individual carrier doing business in 1 established geographic service area of the state, the rules set forth in this section shall apply only to the carrier's operations in that service area.

(d) An individual carrier offering coverage through a network plan shall not be required to renew, offer coverage or accept applications pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to an eligible person who no longer resides, lives or works in the service area or in an area for which the carrier is not authorized to do business, but only if coverage is terminated under this paragraph uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of covered individuals.

(e) In applying this section in the case of a health benefit plan that is made available in the individual market to individuals only through 1 or more bona fide associations, a reference to an "individual" is deemed to include a reference to such an association (of which the individual is a member).

71 Del. Laws, c. 143, § 3.;