2012 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 27 - Insurance
Chapter 27-18.2 - Medicare Supplement Insurance Policies
Chapter 27-18.2-3 - Standards for policy provisions.

§ 27-18.2-3 Standards for policy provisions. – (a) No Medicare supplement insurance policy or certificate in force in the state shall contain benefits which duplicate benefits provided by Medicare.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law of this state, a Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall not exclude or limit benefits for loss incurred more than six (6) months from the effective date of coverage because it involved a preexisting condition. The policy or certificate shall not define a preexisting condition more restrictively than a condition for which medical advice was given or treatment was recommended by or received from a physician within six (6) months before the effective date of coverage.

(c) The director shall adopt reasonable regulations to establish specific standards for policy provisions of Medicare supplement policies and certificates. Those standards shall be in addition to and in accordance with the applicable laws of this state, including but not limited to §§ 27-18-3(a) and 42-62-12 and regulations promulgated pursuant to those sections. No requirement of this title or chapter 62 of title 42 relating to minimum required policy benefits, other than the minimum standards contained in this chapter, shall apply to Medicare supplement policies and certificates. The standards may cover, but not be limited to:

(1) Terms of renewability;

(2) Initial and subsequent conditions of eligibility;

(3) Nonduplication of coverage;

(4) Probationary periods;

(5) Benefit limitations, exceptions, and reductions;

(6) Elimination periods;

(7) Requirements for replacement;

(8) Recurrent conditions; and

(9) Definitions of terms.

(d) The director may adopt reasonable regulations that specify prohibited policy provisions not specifically authorized by statute, if, in the opinion of the director, those provisions are unjust, unfair, or unfairly discriminatory to any person insured or proposed to be insured under a Medicare supplement policy or certificate.

(e) The director shall adopt reasonable regulations to establish minimum standards for benefits, claims payment, marketing practices, and compensation arrangements and reporting practices for Medicare supplement policies and certificates.

(f) The director may adopt any reasonable regulations necessary to conform Medicare supplement policies and certificates to the requirements of federal law and regulations promulgated pursuant to federal law, including but not limited to:

(1) Requiring refunds or credits if the policies or certificates do not meet loss ratio requirements;

(2) Establishing a uniform methodology for calculating and reporting loss ratios;

(3) Assuring public access to policies, premiums, and loss ratio information of issuers of Medicare supplement insurance;

(4) Establishing a process for approving or disapproving policy forms and certificate forms and proposed premium increases;

(5) Establishing a policy for holding public hearings prior to approval of premium increases which may include the applicant's provision of notice of the proposed premium increase to all subscribers subject to the proposed increase, at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing; and

(6) Establishing standards for Medicare select policies and certificates.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1988, ch. 631, § 2; P.L. 1989, ch. 428, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 445, § 4; P.L. 1993, ch. 180, § 12; P.L. 2005, ch. 43, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 86, § 1.)