2013 Maryland Code
INSURANCE
§ 2-303 - Purposes of Program

§2-303.

The purposes of the Program include:

(1) providing information and helping consumers with the procedures for filing a complaint with the Commissioner against any person regulated by this article;

(2) on request, giving information about an insurer to the extent that the information lawfully is disclosable; and

(3) developing an information and assistance system to provide information about and to help consumers with:

(i) personal insurance coverages, including health insurance and life insurance coverages;

(ii) underwriting practices;

(iii) general rating concepts;

(iv) claim procedures of insurers; and

(v) any other relevant services.

§ 2-303 - 1. Duties of the Administration

(a) Consumer access to health insurance. -- The Administration shall serve as the single point of entry for consumers to access any and all information regarding health insurance and the delivery of health care as it relates to health insurance, including information prepared or collected by:

(1) the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene;

(2) the Maryland Health Care Commission;

(3) the Health Services Cost Review Commission;

(4) the Department of Aging; and

(5) the Health Education and Advocacy Unit of the Attorney General's office.

(b) Promoting availability of information. --

(1) The Administration, in cooperation with the entities listed in subsection (a) of this section and any other person it deems appropriate, shall promote the availability of the information.

(2) The Maryland Health Care Commission shall assist the Administration in presenting the information in a format that is easily understandable for consumers.

(c) Funding. -- Implementation of this section by the Administration shall be funded through the Health Care Regulatory Fund established under § 2-112.3 of this title.

§ 2-303 - 2. Comparison guide of medical professional liability insurance premiums.

(a) Annual preparation of guide. -- The Administration shall prepare annually a comparison guide of medical professional liability insurance premiums.

(b) Contents. -- The comparison guide shall:

(1) list each insurer authorized to provide medical professional liability insurance in the State;

(2) include, for each specialty and territory, the base premium charged by an insurer for physicians with policy limits of $ 1,000,000 and $ 3,000,000; and

(3) include the base premium charged by an insurer for a:

(i) hospital;

(ii) medical day care center;

(iii) hospice care program;

(iv) assisted living program; and

(v) freestanding ambulatory care facility as defined in § 19-3B-01 of the Health - General Article.

(c) Publication on Web site and in print. -- The Administration shall publish the comparison guide required under subsection (a) of this section on its Web site and in printed form.