SENATE BILL No. 1294

 

 

September 19, 2012, Introduced by Senators HUNE and SMITH and referred to the Committee on Insurance.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1980 PA 350, entitled

 

"The nonprofit health care corporation reform act,"

 

by amending sections 218 and 401e (MCL 550.1218 and 550.1401e),

 

section 218 as added by 2002 PA 559 and section 401e as added by

 

1996 PA 516, and by adding sections 220, 401l, 401m, and 620.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 218. A health care corporation shall not do any of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Take any action to change its nonprofit status.

 

     (b) Dissolve, Except as otherwise provided in section 220,

 

dissolve, merge, consolidate, mutualize, or take any other action

 

that results in a change in direct or indirect control of the

 

health care corporation or sell, transfer, lease, exchange, option,

 

or convey assets that results in a change in direct or indirect

 


control of the health care corporation.

 

     Sec. 220. (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this act to the

 

contrary, a health care corporation may establish, own, operate,

 

and merge with a nonprofit mutual disability insurer formed under

 

chapter 58 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.5800

 

to 500.5840. The surviving entity of a merger described in this

 

subsection is the nonprofit mutual disability insurer. The

 

nonprofit mutual disability insurer formed through a merger

 

described in this subsection is exempt from the application of

 

sections 1311 to 1319 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218,

 

MCL 500.1311 to 500.1319.

 

     (2) The merger of a health care corporation with a nonprofit

 

mutual disability insurer is effective upon adoption of a plan of

 

merger by the majority of the boards of directors of both the

 

health care corporation and the nonprofit mutual disability

 

insurer.

 

     (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act to the

 

contrary, the directors of a health care corporation may serve as

 

incorporators of the corporate body of, directors of, or officers

 

of the nonprofit mutual disability insurer formed through a merger

 

described in subsection (1).

 

     (4) A merger described in subsection (1) is the dissolution of

 

the health care corporation, and the surviving nonprofit mutual

 

disability insurer assumes the performance of all contracts and

 

policies of the merged health care corporation that exist on the

 

date of the merger. However, the officers of a health care

 

corporation may perform any act or acts necessary to close the

 


affairs of the merged health care corporation after the date of the

 

merger.

 

     Sec. 401e. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a

 

health care corporation that has issued a nongroup certificate

 

shall renew or continue in force the certificate at the option of

 

the individual.

 

     (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a health

 

care corporation that has issued a group certificate shall renew or

 

continue in force the certificate at the option of the sponsor of

 

the plan.

 

     (3) Guaranteed renewal is not required in cases of fraud,

 

intentional misrepresentation of material fact, lack of payment, if

 

the health care corporation no longer offers that particular type

 

of coverage in the market, or if the individual or group moves

 

outside the service area.

 

     (4) A health care corporation shall not discontinue offering a

 

particular plan or product in the nongroup or group market unless

 

the health care corporation does all of the following:

 

     (a) Provides notice to the commissioner and to each covered

 

individual provided coverage under the plan or product of the

 

discontinuation at least 90 days before the date of the

 

discontinuation.

 

     (b) Offers to each covered individual provided coverage under

 

the plan or product the option to purchase any other plan or

 

product currently being offered in the nongroup market by that

 

health care corporation without excluding or limiting coverage for

 

a preexisting condition or providing a waiting period.

 


     (c) Acts uniformly without regard to any health status factor

 

of enrolled individuals or individuals who may become eligible for

 

coverage in making the determination to discontinue coverage and in

 

offering other plans or products.

 

     (5) A health care corporation shall not discontinue offering

 

all coverage in the nongroup or group market unless the health care

 

corporation does all of the following:

 

     (a) Provides notice to the commissioner and to each covered

 

individual of the discontinuation at least 180 days before the date

 

of the expiration of coverage.

 

     (b) Discontinues all health benefit plans issued in the

 

nongroup or group market from which the health care corporation

 

withdrew and does not renew coverage under those plans.

 

     (6) If a health care corporation discontinues coverage under

 

subsection (5), the health care corporation shall not provide for

 

the issuance of any health benefit plans in the nongroup or group

 

market from which the health care corporation withdrew during the

 

5-year period beginning on the date of the discontinuation of the

 

last plan not renewed under that subsection.

 

     Sec. 401l. Notwithstanding any provision of this act to the

 

contrary, a health care corporation may, in determining premiums

 

offered in the nongroup market, consider age, geography, smoking,

 

family composition, and any other factors permitted under federal

 

law for a certificate delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in

 

this state on, or after, January 1, 2014.

 

     Sec. 401m. Until January 1, 2014, a health care corporation

 

established, maintained, or operating in this state shall offer

 


health care benefits to all residents of this state regardless of

 

health status.

 

     Sec. 620. (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this act to the

 

contrary, a certificate delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed

 

in this state on or after January 1, 2014 by a health care

 

corporation is subject to the policy and certificate issuance and

 

rate filing requirements of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA

 

218, MCL 500.100 to 500.8302.

 

     (2) Beginning January 1, 2014, a health care corporation may

 

establish open enrollment periods for certificates offered,

 

delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state by the

 

health care corporation.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No. 1293                                   

 

          of the 96th Legislature is enacted into law.