2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 22:228.2 — Restrictions relating to premium rates; health insurance

§228.2.  Restrictions relating to premium rates; health insurance

A.  Premium rates for group health benefit plans subject to R.S. 22:228.1 through 228.5 shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1)  The index rate for a rating period for any class of business shall not exceed the index rate for any other class of business by more than twenty percent.

(2)  For a class of business, the premium rates charged during a rating period to any employer with similar case characteristics for the same or similar coverage, or the rates which could be charged to such employer under the rating system for that class of business, whether new coverage or renewal coverage, shall not vary from the index rate by more than thirty-three percent of the index rate.

(3)  The percentage increase in the premium rate charged to a small employer for a new rating period may not exceed the sum of the following:

(a)  The percentage change in the new business premium rate measured from the first day of the prior rating period to the first day of the new rating period.  In the case of a class of business for which the small employer carrier is not issuing new policies, the carrier shall use the percentage change in the base premium rate.

(b)  An adjustment, not to exceed twenty percent annually and adjusted pro rata for rating periods of less than one year, due to one or a combination of the following: claim experience, health status, or duration of coverage of the employees or dependents of the small employer as determined from the carrier's rate manual for the class of business.

(c)  Any adjustment due to change in coverage or change in the case characteristics of the small employer as determined from the carrier's rate manual for the class of business.

B.  Nothing in this Section is intended to affect the use by a small employer carrier of legitimate rating factors other than claim experience, health status, or duration of coverage in the determination of premium rates.  Small employer carriers shall apply rating factors, including case characteristics, consistently with respect to all small employers in a class of business.

C.  A small employer carrier shall not involuntarily transfer a small employer into or out of a class of business.  A small employer carrier shall not offer to transfer a small employer into or out of a class of business unless such offer is made to transfer all small employers in the class of business without regard to case characteristics, claim experience, health status or duration since issue.

Acts 1991, No. 777, §2, eff. Sept. 30, 1992; Acts 2001, No. 272, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002.

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