2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 22:239.1 — Fees assessed to participating health insurers for plan losses attributable to federally defined eligible individuals

§239.1.  Fees assessed to participating health insurers for plan losses attributable to federally defined eligible individuals

A.(1)  For the purposes of this Section, "participating insurer" includes all insurers providing health insurance to citizens of this state.

(2)  For the purposes of this Section, fees assessed to participating insurers shall apply to gross premiums for hospital and medical expense incurred policies, nonprofit service plan corporation contracts, hospital only coverage, medical and surgical expense policies, major medical insurance, coverages provided by health maintenance organizations, individual practices, associations, and every insurance appertaining to any portion of medical expense liability incurred under a group health plan, as defined in R.S. 22:250.1(1)(a), including stop-loss and excess-loss coverage unless the gross premium for such coverage is included under any other type of coverage stated herein that is issued for delivery in this state.  Fee assessments to participating insurers shall not apply to policies or contracts for provision of short term, accident only, hospital indemnity, credit insurance, automobile and homeowner's medical-payment coverage, workers' compensation medical benefit coverage, Medicare, Medicaid, federal governmental benefit plans, supplemental health insurance, limited benefit health insurance, or coverage issued as a supplement to liability.

B.  In addition to the powers enumerated in R.S. 22:236, the plan shall have the authority to assess fees to participating insurers in accordance with the provisions of this Section, and to make advance interim fee assessments as may be reasonable and necessary for the plan's organizational and interim operating expenses.  Any such interim fees assessed are to be credited as offsets against any regular fees assessed which become payable following the close of the fiscal year.

C.  Following the close of each fiscal year, the administrator shall determine the net premiums, premiums less reasonable administrative expense allowances, the plan expenses of administration, and the incurred losses for the year which are attributable to federally defined eligible individuals.  The administrator shall take into account investment income and other appropriate gains and losses which are reasonably attributable to federally defined eligible individuals.  Any deficit incurred by the plan shall be identified and recouped as follows:

(1)  The board shall identify the source of any deficit related to the provision of coverage to federally defined eligible individuals before assessing any fees authorized under this Section.

(2)  The board shall verify the adequacy of any governmental appropriations or alternative funding sources, other than fees assessed under this Subsection, used to reduce rates for the plan year below two hundred percent of rates applicable to individual standard risks.  Where such funds were not sufficient to support the rate reduction provided, that portion of the deficit reasonably related to such funding shortfalls shall be recouped from any subsequent governmental appropriations or alternative funding sources, other than fees assessed under this Section, prior to making any rate reduction for a subsequent plan year.  The board shall reasonably act to prevent future deficits related to reducing rates based on receipt of government appropriations or alternate funding sources.

(3)  The board shall verify the amount of any deficit reasonably resulting from plan losses not attributable to governmental or alternative funding shortfalls used to reduce rates below two hundred percent of rates applicable to individual standard risks.  Any verified deficit amount attributed to federally defined eligible individuals shall be recouped by fees assessed under this Section to participating insurers.

(4)  The board shall provide the commissioner of insurance with a detailed report on any deficit being recouped by fee assessments apportioned under this Section.  Such report shall include information on services and utilization patterns which can reasonably be attributed to the deficit as well as analysis and recommendations on cost containment measures which can be taken to minimize future deficits.

(5)  The board shall provide the commissioner of insurance with a detailed report on the sources and use of government appropriations and alternate sources of funding used to make rates more affordable.  Such report shall include information on the activities of similar plans maintained by other states and recommendations for actions which can be taken to make coverage more affordable for plan members.

D.  Each participating insurer's fee assessment shall be in the proportion to gross premiums earned on business in this state for policies or contracts covered under this Section for the most recent calendar year for which information is available.

E.  Each participating insurer's fee assessment shall be determined by the board based on annual statements and other reports deemed to be necessary by the board and filed by the participating insurer with the board.  The board may use any reasonable method of estimating the amount of gross premium of a participating insurer if the specific amount is unknown.

F.  A participating insurer may petition the commissioner of insurance for deferral of all or part of any fee assessed by the board.  If, in the opinion of the commissioner, payment of the fee assessment would endanger the solvency of the participating insurer, the commissioner may defer, in whole or in part, the fee assessment as part of a voluntary rehabilitation or supervisory plan established to prevent the plan's insolvency.  Any deferrals approved under a voluntary rehabilitation or supervisory plan shall be limited to four years and require repayment of all deferrals by the end of such period plus legal interest.  Until notice of payment in full is received from the board, the insurer shall remain under the voluntary rehabilitation or supervisory plan.  In the event a fee assessment against a participating insurer is deferred in whole or in part, the amount by which the fee assessment is deferred may be assessed to the other participating insurers in a manner consistent with the basis for fee assessments set forth in this Section.  Collection of such deferrals and legal interest shall be used to offset fee assessments against the other participating insurers in a manner consistent with the basis for fee assessments set forth in this Section.

Acts 1997, No. 1154, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 2001, No. 62, §1, eff. May 24, 2001; Acts 2001, No. 1178, §2, eff. June 29, 2001.