Current through March 14, 2024
(a) General Rules.
(1) Each group policy or certificate of
accident and sickness insurance shall include a renewal, continuation, or
non-renewal provision. The language or specifications of such provision shall
be consistent with the type of contract to be issued. Such provision shall be
appropriately captioned, shall appear on the first page of the policy, and
shall clearly state the duration, where limited, of renewability and the
duration of the term of coverage for which the policy is issued and for which
it may be renewed.
(2) Except for
riders or endorsements by which the insurer effectuates a request made in
writing by the policyholder, or exercises a specifically reserved right under
the policy or certificate, all riders or endorsements added to a policy or
certificate after date of issue or at reinstatement or renewal that reduce or
eliminate benefits or coverage in the policy or certificate shall require
signed acceptance by the policyholder. After the date of policy or certificate
issue, any rider or endorsement that increases benefits or coverage with a
concomitant increase in premium during the policy term shall be agreed to in
writing signed by the policyholder, except if the increase in benefit or
coverage is required by law
(3)
Where a separate additional premium is charged for benefits provided in
connection with riders or endorsements, such premium charge shall be set forth
in the policy or certificate.
(4) A
policy or certificate that provides for the payment of benefits based on
standards described as "usual and customary," "reasonable and customary,"
"maximum allowable charge," or words of similar import shall include a
definition of such terms and an explanation of such terms.
(5) If a policy or certificate contains any
limitations with respect to pre-existing conditions, such limitations shall
appear as a separate paragraph of the policy or certificate and be labeled as
"Preexisting Conditions Limitations."
(6) All accident only policies shall contain
a prominent statement on the first page or an attachment to the policy and
certificate in either contrasting color or in boldface type at least equal to
the size of type used for policy captions, a prominent statement as follows:
"This is an accident only policy and it does not pay benefits for loss from
sickness."
(7) If a policy contains
a conversion privilege, it shall comply, in substance, with the following: The
caption of the provision shall be "Conversion Privilege" or words of similar
import. The provision shall indicate the persons eligible for conversion, the
circumstances applicable to the conversion privilege, including any limitations
on the conversion, and the person by whom the conversion privilege may be
exercised. The provision shall specify the benefits to be provided on
conversion or may state that the converted coverage will be as provided on a
policy form then being used by the insurer for that purpose.
(b) Hospital confinement indemnity
policies or certificates are designed to provide, to persons insured, coverage
in the form of a fixed daily benefit during periods of hospitalization
resulting from a covered accident or sickness, subject to any limitations set
forth in the policy Such policies do not provide any benefits other than the
fixed daily indemnity for hospital confinement and any additional benefits that
are described pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection. The policy or
certificate shall include:
(1) A clear and
concise description of the benefits including a description of any deductible,
coinsurance or co-payment provisions applicable to the benefits described, and
proper disclosure of benefits that vary according to accidental cause and also
including:
(A) Daily benefit payable during
hospital confinement; and
(B)
Duration of the benefit described in subparagraph (A) of this
subdivision.
(2) A
description of any policy provisions that exclude, eliminate, restrict, reduce,
limit, delay, or in any other manner operate to qualify payment of the benefits
described pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(3) A description of policy provisions
regarding renewability or continuation of coverage, including age restrictions
or any reservation of right to change premiums.
(4) Any benefits provided in addition to the
daily hospital benefit.
(c) Disability income protection policies or
certificates are designed to provide, to persons insured, income protection
coverage in the form of periodic payments for disabilities resulting from a
covered accident or sickness, subject to any limitations set forth in the
policy. Coverage is not provided for basic hospital, basic medical-surgical, or
major-medical expenses. The policy or certificate shall include:
(1) A clear and concise description of the
benefits including a description of any deductible, coinsurance or co-payment
provisions applicable to the benefits described, and proper disclosure of
benefits that vary according to accidental cause.
(2) A description of any policy provisions
that exclude, eliminate, restrict, reduce, limit, delay, or in any other manner
operate to qualify payment of the benefits described pursuant to subdivision
(1) of this subsection.
(3) A
description of policy provisions regarding renewability or continuation of
coverage, including age restrictions or any reservation of right to change
premiums.
(d) Accident
only policies or certificates are designed to provide, to persons insured,
coverage for certain losses resulting from a covered accident only, subject to
any limitations contained in the policy Coverage is not provided for basic
hospital, basic medical-surgical, or major-medical expenses. The policy or
certificate shall include:
(1) A clear and
concise description of the benefits including a description of any deductible,
coinsurance or co-payment provisions applicable to the benefits described, and
proper disclosure of benefits that vary according to accidental
cause.
(2) A description of any
policy provisions that exclude, eliminate, restrict, reduce, limit, delay, or
in any other manner operate to qualify payment of the benefits described
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(3) A description of policy provisions
regarding renewability or continuation of coverage, including age restrictions
or any reservation of right to change premiums.
(e) Specified accident policies or
certificates are designed to provide, to persons insured, restricted coverage
paying benefits only when certain losses occur as a result of specified
accidents. Coverage is not provided for basic hospital, basic medical-surgical,
or major-medical expense. The policy or certificate shall include:
(1) A clear and concise description of the
benefits including a description of any deductible, coinsurance or co-payment
provisions applicable to the benefits described, and proper disclosure of
benefits that vary according to accidental cause.
(2) A description of any policy provisions
that exclude, eliminate, restrict, reduce, limit, delay, or in any other manner
operate to qualify payment of the benefits described pursuant to subdivision
(1) of this subsection.
(3) A
description of policy provisions regarding renewability or continuation of
coverage, including age restrictions or any reservation of right to change
premiums.
(f) Limited
benefit policies or certificates are designed to provide to the person insured
all of the benefits of a category of the type specified in subdivisions (1),
(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (8) of section 38a-469 of the Connecticut General
Statutes but at a lower level of coverage. The policy or certificate shall
include:
(1) A clear and concise description
of the benefits including a description of any deductible, coinsurance or
co-payment provisions applicable to the benefits described, and proper
disclosure of benefits that vary according to accidental cause.
(2) A description of any policy provisions
that exclude, eliminate, restrict, reduce, limit, delay, or in any other manner
operate to qualify payment of the benefits described pursuant to subdivision
(1) of this subsection.
(3) A
description of policy provisions regarding renewability or continuation of
coverage, including age restrictions or any reservation of right to change
premiums.
(g) Specified
disease policies or certificates are designed to provide to the person insured
benefits for the diagnosis and treatment of one or more specifically named
diseases, conditions or syndromes. As used in this section, "condition"
includes specifically named diseases, conditions or syndromes unless the
context otherwise requires. The following requirements shall apply to group
specified disease policies in addition to all other requirements applicable to
group accident and sickness policies.
(1) Any
specified disease policy or certificate that conditions payment upon
pathological diagnosis of a covered disease, condition or syndrome shall also
provide that if such a pathological diagnosis is medically inappropriate, a
clinical diagnosis shall be accepted in lieu thereof
(2) Policies and certificates described in
subdivision (13) of this subsection shall provide benefits to any covered
certificate holder not only for a specified disease, condition or syndrome, but
also for any other disease, condition or syndrome directly caused or aggravated
by the specified disease, condition or syndrome or its treatment.
(3) All policies and certificates shall
include a provision that allows the certificate holder to continue coverage or
convert to an individual specified disease policy in the event of termination
of the eligibility of the certificate holder or in the event of the
cancellation, nonrenewal or termination of the group specified disease policy.
Conversion shall be made without evidence of insurability and without
pre-existing conditions limitations or waiting periods, with an effective date
that coincides with the date coverage ceased under the group plan.
(4) No specified disease policy or
certificate shall contain a waiting or probationary period greater than thirty
(30) days. Premiums paid for a certificate holder shall be refunded if the
certificate holder is diagnosed with a covered disease, condition or syndrome
during the waiting or probationary period. Alternatively, the certificate may
provide for an additional option for the certificate holder to continue the
certificate in force, but in no event shall benefits for that disease,
condition or syndrome be withheld beyond the time period specified in the
pre-existing condition provision.
(5) Payment of benefits may be conditioned
upon a covered certificate holder receiving medically necessary care or
treatment.
(6) Any application for
a specified disease policy or certificate shall contain a prominent statement
above the signature of the applicant that a person who is already covered by
Medicaid is not eligible for this coverage and cannot be included in the group.
Such statement shall be in bold face type or contrasting color.
(7) The benefits of a specified disease
policy or certificate shall be paid regardless of other coverage.
(8) Benefit payments under group specified
disease policies described in subdivision (14) of this subsection shall begin
with the first day of care or confinement after the effective date of the
policy if such care or confinement is for a covered disease, condition or
syndrome even though the diagnosis of a covered disease, condition or syndrome
is made at some later date (but not retroactive more than ninety (90) days from
the date of diagnosis) if the initial care or confinement was for diagnosis or
treatment of such covered disease, condition or syndrome.
(9) Specified disease policies and
certificates shall provide a thirty (30) day free look. Notice of the thirty
(30) day free look shall appear on the face page of the policy and certificate
in bold face equal to at least fourteen (14) point type.
(10) Specified disease policies and
certificates shall contain a prominent statement on the first page of the
policy and certificate in bold face type at least equal to fourteen (14) point
type as follows: "CAUTION! This policy (or certificate) PROVIDES LIMITED
COVERAGE. IT IS NOT A MAJOR MEDICAL POLICY (OR CERTIFICATE). Read it carefully.
It only pays benefits for treatment (or diagnosis) of (specified disease,
condition or syndrome)."
(11) The
premiums for a specified disease policy shall be reasonable in relation to
benefits and shall not be excessive or inadequate. The insurer shall establish
premiums for specified disease policies in accordance with generally accepted
actuarial principles and practices so as to return to certificate holders in
the form of aggregate benefits provided under the policy during the period for
which rates are computed at least sixty-five percent (65%) of the aggregate
premiums earned. Each insurer shall annually report by June 30 earned premiums
and incurred claims for the prior calendar year for each approved group
specified disease policy form in a format acceptable to the
Commissioner.
(12) "Pre-existing
condition" shall not be defined in a group specified disease policy to be more
restrictive than the following: Pre-existing condition means a condition for
which medical advice or treatment was recommended by a physician or received
from a physician within a twelve (12) month period preceding the effective date
of the coverage of the certificate holder. No policy or certificate shall
exclude for a loss due to a pre-existing condition for a period greater than
twelve (12) months following the certificate holder's effective date of
coverage.
(13) Each specified
disease policy and certificate shall meet the minimum benefit standards
provided in subparagraph (A), (B) or (C) of this subdivision. In addition, a
specified disease policy may combine coverages of the types described in
subparagraph (A), (B), and (C) of this subdivision. A policy that combines
coverages and meets the minimum benefit standard requirements set forth in
subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of this subdivision may be approved for sale in
the state if it includes some, but not all, of the benefits otherwise permitted
by another type of group specified disease policy, except that group specified
disease policies combining coverage of the types described in subparagraph (A)
and (B) of this subdivision shall meet the minimum requirements for each type
of coverage.
(A) Coverage for medical
expenses incurred by each certificate holder insured under the policy for one
or more specifically named diseases, conditions or syndromes, with a deductible
amount not in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000), co-insurance by the
insured not to exceed twenty-five per cent (25%), and an overall aggregate
lifetime benefit limit, per certificate holder, of not less than two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). Any inside limits shall be reasonable.
Policy benefits shall include:
(i) Hospital
room and board and hospital furnished medical services or supplies;
(ii) Treatment by, or under the direction of,
a physician or surgeon;
(iii)
Private duty services of a registered nurse or a licensed practical
nurse;
(iv) X-ray, radium, cobalt,
nuclear medicine, chemotherapy, and other therapeutic procedures used in
diagnosis and treatment;
(v)
Licensed ambulance for local service to or from a local hospital;
(vi) Blood transfusions, and plasma, and the
administration thereof;
(vii) Drugs
and medicines prescribed by a physician;
(viii) The rental of any respirator or other
mechanical apparatus;
(ix) Braces,
crutches, wheelchairs and other adaptive devices deemed necessary by the
attending physician because of the incapacitating nature of the covered
condition;
(x) Transportation
beyond the local area for medically necessary treatment;
(xi) Anesthesia services, consisting of
administration of necessary general anesthesia and related procedures in
connection with covered surgical services rendered by a physician other than
the physician (or his assistant) performing the surgical service, in an amount
not less than (I) eighty percent (80%) of the reasonable charges, or (II)
fifteen percent (15%) of the surgical service benefit;
(xii) Home health care as described in
section 38a-520(d) of the Connecticut General Statutes;
(xiii) Physical, speech, hearing and
occupational therapy for symptoms related to the covered condition;
(xiv) Special equipment and supplies,
including, but not limited to, hospital bed, bedpans, pulleys, wheelchairs,
aspirator, disposable diapers, oxygen, surgical dressings, rubber shields,
colostomy and ileostomy appliances;
(xv) Reconstructive surgery when medically
necessary;
(xvi) Prosthetic devices
including wigs and artificial breasts;
(xvii) Nursing home care;
(xviii) Hospice care; and
(xix) Any other expenses necessarily incurred
in the care and treatment of the covered condition.
(B) Per diem indemnification for each
certificate holder insured under the policy for a specifically named disease,
condition or syndrome with no deductible amount, and an overall aggregate
benefit limit of not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
($250,000) while medically confined, subject to the following minimum benefit
standards:
(i) A fixed-sum payment of at
least one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) for each day of hospital
confinement;
(ii) A fixed-sum
payment equal to at least one hundred dollars ($100) for each day of hospital
or non-hospital out-patient surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy;
and
(iii) A fixed-sum payment equal
to one-half of the hospital in-patient benefit for each day of nursing home
care, hospice care, and home health care for at least one hundred (100)
days.
(C) A fixed-sum
one-time payment made not more than thirty (30) days after submission to the
insurer of proof of diagnosis of the specified disease, condition, or syndrome
of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000). In addition, payment amounts
may be limited to not less than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) for one or
more specified diseases, conditions, or syndromes where coverage is provided
under such policy for two or more specified diseases, conditions, or syndromes,
provided that the aggregate amount payable under the policy for all specified
diseases, conditions, or syndromes is at least one thousand dollars ($1,000).
Also, coverage for a fixed-sum payment for a spouse or dependent may be
included under the policy, provided the benefit amount included is at least
twenty-five percent (25%) of the benefit amount for the certificate holder.
Where coverage is advertised or otherwise represented to offer generic coverage
of a specified disease, condition, or syndrome, the same dollar amounts shall
be payable, regardless of the particular subtype of the disease, condition, or
syndrome unless such subtype is clearly identifiable and the policy clearly
differentiates that subtype and its benefits.
(14) No group specified disease policy shall
be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless an outline of coverage
in the form prescribed below is completed and is delivered with the
certificate. The items included in the outline of coverage shall appear in the
sequence prescribed below:
CAUTION!
(COMPANY NAME)
(SPECIFIED DISEASE, CONDITION OR SYNDROME) COVERAGE OUTLINE OF
COVERAGE
(A) Read Your Certificate
Carefully - This outline of coverage provides a very brief description of the
important features of your certificate. This is not the insurance contract and
only the actual certificate provisions shall control. The certificate sets
forth in detail the rights and obligations of both you and your insurance
company. It is, therefore, important that you READ YOUR CERTIFICATE
CAREFULLY!
(B) (Specified disease,
condition or syndrome) Coverage - This certificate is designed to provide, to
certificate holders, restricted coverage paying benefits ONLY when certain
losses occur as a result of treatment (or diagnosis) of the specified disease,
condition, or syndrome. This certificate does NOT provide general health
insurance.
(C) This certificate is
NOT A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT certificate. If you are eligible for Medicare, review
the Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare available from (the
company).
(D) A brief specific
description of the benefits, including dollar amounts, contained in this
certificate.
(E) A description of
any certificate provisions which exclude, eliminate, restrict, reduce, limit,
delay, or in any other manner operate to qualify payment of the benefits
described pursuant to (D) above.
(F) A description of certificate provisions
respecting continuation or conversion of coverage in the event of group policy
termination.