2006 Kentucky Revised Statutes - .013   Prohibited unfair or deceptive practices in the writing of insurance.

304.12-013 Prohibited unfair or deceptive practices in the writing of insurance. (1) The purpose of this section is to prohibit unfair or deceptive practices in the transaction  of  life  and  health  insurance  with  respect  to  the  human immunodeficiency virus infection and related matters. This section applies to all life and health insurance contracts which are delivered or issued for delivery in Kentucky on or after July 13, 1990. (2) This section shall not prohibit an insurer from contesting the validity of an insurance contract or whether a claim is covered under an insurance contract to the extent allowed by law. (3) As used in this section: (a)  "Human immunodeficiency virus" (HIV) means the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any other type of immunosuppression caused by the human immunodeficiency virus; (b)  "Insurance contract" means a contract issued by an insurer as defined in this section; and (c)  "Insurer" means an insurer, a nonprofit hospital, medical-surgical, dental, and health service corporation, a health maintenance organization, or a prepaid dental plan organization. (4) (a)  In  the  underwriting  of  an  insurance  contract  regarding  human immunodeficiency virus infection and health conditions derived from such infection, the insurer shall utilize medical tests which are reliable predictors of risk. Only a test which is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control or by the Food and Drug Administration is deemed to be reliable for the purposes of this section. If a specific Centers for Disease Control or Food and Drug Administration-recommended test indicates the existence or possible existence of human immunodeficiency virus infection or a health condition related to the human immunodeficiency virus infection, before relying on a single test to deny issuance of an insurance contract, limit coverage under an insurance contract, or to establish the premium for an insurance contract, the insurer shall follow the applicable Centers for Disease Control or Food and Drug Administration-recommended test protocol and shall utilize any applicable Centers for Disease Control or Food and Drug Administration- recommended follow-up tests or series of tests to confirm the indication. (b)  Prior to testing, the insurer shall disclose in writing its intent to test the applicant for the human immunodeficiency virus infection or for a specific health condition derived therefrom and shall obtain the applicant's written informed consent to administer the test. Written informed consent shall include a fair explanation of the test, including its purpose, potential uses and limitations, the meaning of its results, and the right to confidential treatment of information. Use of a form prescribed by the office shall raise a conclusive presumption of informed consent. (c) An applicant shall be notified of a positive test result by a physician designated by the applicant, or, in the absence of such designation, by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The notification shall include: 1. Face-to-face post-test counseling on the meaning of the test results, the possible need for additional testing, and the need to eliminate behavior which might spread the disease to others; 2. The availability in the geographic area of any appropriate health-care services, including mental health care, and appropriate social and support services; 3. The benefits of locating and counseling any person by whom the infected person may have been exposed to human immunodeficiency virus and any person whom the infected person may have exposed to the virus; and 4. The availability, if any, of the services of public health authorities with respect to locating and counseling any person described in subparagraph 3. of this paragraph. (d) A medical test for human immunodeficiency virus infection or for a health condition derived from the infection shall only be required or given to an applicant for an insurance contract on the basis of the applicant's health condition or health history, on the basis of the amount of insurance applied for, or if the test is required of all applicants. (e) An insurer may ask whether an applicant for an insurance contract has been tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus infection or other health conditions derived from such infection. Insurers shall not inquire whether the applicant has been tested for or has received a negative result from a specific test for human immunodeficiency virus infection or for a health condition derived from such infection. (f) Insurers shall maintain strict confidentiality of the results of tests for human immunodeficiency virus infection or a specific health condition derived from human immunodeficiency virus infection. Information regarding specific test results shall be disclosed only as required by law or pursuant to a written request or authorization by the applicant. Insurers may disclose results pursuant to a specific written request only to the following persons: 1. The applicant; 2. A licensed physician or other person designated by the applicant; 3. An insurance medical-information exchange under procedures that are used to assure confidentiality, such as the use of general codes that also cover results of tests for other diseases or conditions not related to human immunodeficiency virus infection; 4. For the preparation of statistical reports that do not disclose the identity of any particular applicant; 5. Reinsurers, contractually retained medical personnel, and insurer affiliates if these entities are involved solely in the underwriting process and under procedures that are designed to assure confidentiality; 6. To insurer personnel who have the responsibility to make underwriting decisions; and 7. To outside legal counsel who needs the information to represent the insurer effectively in regard to matters concerning the applicant. (g) Insurers shall use for the processing of human immunodeficiency virus-related tests only those laboratories that are certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1967, which permit testing of specimens in interstate commerce, and which subject themselves to ongoing proficiency testing by the College of American Pathologists, the American Association of Bioanalysts, or an equivalent program approved by the Centers for Disease Control. (5) (a) An  insurance  contract  shall  not  exclude  coverage  for  human immunodeficiency virus infection. An insurance contract shall not contain benefit  provisions,  terms,  or  conditions  which  apply  to  human immunodeficiency virus infection in a different manner than those which apply to any other health condition. Insurance contracts which violate this paragraph shall be disapproved by the executive director pursuant to KRS 304.14-130(1)(a), 304.32-160, and 304.38-050. (b) A health insurance contract shall not be canceled or nonrenewed solely because a person or persons covered by the contract has been diagnosed as having or has been treated for human immunodeficiency virus infection. (c) Sexual orientation shall not be used in the underwriting process or in the determination of which applicants shall be tested for exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus infection. Neither the marital status, the living arrangements, the occupation, the gender, the beneficiary designation, nor the zip code or other territorial classification of an applicant's sexual orientation. (d) This subsection does not prohibit the issuance of accident only or specified disease insurance contracts. Effective: June 20, 2005 History: Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 99, sec. 578, effective June 20, 2005. -- Amended 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 105, sec. 31, effective July 15, 2002. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 426, sec. 522, effective July 15, 1998. -- Created 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 443, sec. 54, effective July 13, 1990. Legislative Research Commission Note (6/20/2005). 2005 Ky. Acts chs. 11, 85, 95, 97, 98, 99, 123, and 181 instruct the Reviser of Statutes to correct statutory references to agencies and officers whose names have been changed in 2005 legislation confirming the reorganization of the executive branch. Such a correction has been made in this section.