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WACs > Title 284 > Chapter 284-170 > Section 284-170-955











284-170-954    

284-170-958







Agency filings affecting this section







WAC 284-170-955









Association health plan compliance with statutory or regulatory changes.









(1) An issuer offering plans through an association or member-governed group must implement all new federal or state health plan market requirements when they become effective. Replacement requirements for this section apply based on whether the purchaser is classified as an individual, small group, or large group purchaser. These requirements also apply to member employer groups of less than two or to individual member purchasers.
(2) An issuer providing plans of the type referenced in subsection (1) of this section must discontinue a noncompliant plan, and offer replacement plans effective on the renewal date of the master group contract for large groups, and on the group's anniversary renewal date for nongrandfathered small group and individual plans.
(3) If the association is a large group as defined in WAC 284-170-958(1), the same renewal date must apply to all participating employers and individuals, and the replacement coverage must take effect on the same date for each participant. The purchaser's anniversary date must not be used in lieu of this uniform renewal date for purposes of discontinuation and replacement of noncompliant coverage.
(4) If the association is not a large group as defined in WAC 284-170-958(1), and the master group contract and the member group do not have the same renewal date, an issuer must provide notice of the discontinuation and replacement of the plan to the affected association member group or plan sponsor, and each enrollee in the affected member group, not fewer than ninety days prior to the member's anniversary renewal date.
(5) If an issuer does not have a replacement plan approved by the commissioner to offer in place of a discontinued plan, the issuer must assist each enrollee in identifying a replacement option offered by another issuer.
(6) For purposes of this section, "purchaser" means the group or individual whose eligibility for the plan is based in whole or in part on membership in the association or member-governed group.
(7) For purposes of this section, the "anniversary renewal date" means the initial or first date on which a purchasing group's health benefit plan coverage became effective with the issuer, regardless of whether the issuer is subject to other agreements, contracts or trust documents that establish requirements related to the purchaser's coverage in addition to the health benefit plan.
(8) An issuer must not adjust the master contract renewal or anniversary date to delay or prevent application of any federal or state health plan market requirement.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.43.700, 48.43.715, 48.44.050, 48.46.200, and 45 C.F.R. 150.101(2). WSR 14-01-039 (Matter No. R 2013-13), § 284-170-955, filed 12/11/13, effective 1/11/14.]