Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) The following provisions apply to all
Medicare supplement policies and certificates:
(a) Each Medicare supplement policy and
certificate shall include a renewal or continuation provision. The language or
specifications of the provision must be consistent with the type of contract
issued. The provision shall be appropriately captioned, shall appear on the
first page of the policy and shall include any reservation by the issuer of the
right to change premiums and any automatic renewal premium increases based on
the policyholder's or certificate holder's age;
(b) Each rider or endorsement added to a
Medicare supplement policy after the date that the policy is issued or at
reinstatement or renewal, that reduces or eliminates benefits or coverage in
the policy, shall require a signed acceptance by the insured, except for riders
or endorsements by which the issuer effectuates a request made in writing by
the insured, exercises a specifically reserved right under a Medicare
supplement policy or is required to reduce or eliminate benefits to avoid
duplication of Medicare benefits. After the date of issuance of the policy or
certificate, 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 insured, unless the benefits are required by the minimum
standards for Medicare supplement policies, or if the increased benefits or
coverage is required by law. When a separate additional premium is charged for
benefits provided in connection with riders or endorsements, the premium charge
shall be set forth in the policy;
(c) Medicare supplement policies or
certificates shall not provide for the payment of benefits based on standards
described as "usual and customary," "reasonable and customary" or words of
similar import;
(d) If a Medicare
supplement policy or certificate contains any limitations with respect to
preexisting conditions, such limitations must appear as a separate paragraph of
the policy and be labeled as "Preexisting Condition Limitations";
(e) Medicare supplement policies and
certificates shall have a notice prominently printed on the first page of the
policy or certificate or attached thereto stating in substance that the
policyholder or certificate holder may return the policy or certificate within
30 days of its delivery and may have the premium refunded if, after examination
of the policy or certificate, the insured person is not satisfied for any
reason;
(f)
(A) An issuer of health policies or
certificates that provide hospital or medical expense coverage on an expense
incurred or indemnity basis to a person eligible for Medicare shall provide to
those applicants a Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare in the
form developed jointly by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
and CMS and in a type size no smaller than 12 point type. Delivery of the Guide
shall be made whether or not such policies or certificates are advertised,
solicited or issued as Medicare supplement policies or certificates as defined
in OAR 836-052-0119. Except in the case
of direct response issuers, delivery of the Guide shall be made to the
applicant at the time of application, and acknowledgment of receipt of the
Guide shall be obtained by the issuer. Direct response issuers shall deliver
the Guide to the applicant upon request but not later than at the time the
policy is delivered.
(B) For the
purposes of this rule, "form" means the language, format, type size, type
proportional spacing, bold character and line spacing.
(2) The following notice
requirements apply to all insurers providing Medicare supplement insurance:
(a) As soon as practicable, but no later than
30 days prior to the annual effective date of any Medicare benefit change, an
issuer shall notify its policyholders and certificate holders of modification
it has made to Medicare supplement insurance policies or certificates. The
notice must be made in a format acceptable to the Director. The notice shall:
(A) Include a description of revisions to the
Medicare program and a description of each modification made to the coverage
provided under the Medicare supplement policy or certificate; and
(B) Inform each policyholder or certificate
holder as to when any premium adjustment is to be made due to changes in
Medicare.
(b) The notice
of benefit modifications and any premium adjustments shall be in outline form
and in clear and simple terms so as to facilitate comprehension;
(c) Notices under this rule shall not contain
or be accompanied by any solicitation.
(3) MMA Notice Requirements. Issuers shall
comply with any notice requirements of the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.
(4) Each issuer shall provide an outline of
coverage for Medicare supplement policies as follows:
(a) An issuer shall provide an outline of
coverage to each applicant at the time the sales presentation is made to the
prospective applicant and, except for direct response policies, shall obtain an
acknowledgment of receipt of the outline of coverage from the
applicant;
(b) If an outline of
coverage provided at the time of the sales presentation and the Medicare
supplement policy or certificate is issued on a basis that would require
revision of the outline of coverage, a substitute outline of coverage properly
describing the policy or certificate must accompany the policy or certificate
when it is delivered. The revised outline of coverage shall contain the
following statement, or similar language approved by the Director, in not less
than twelve point type, immediately above the insurer's name: "Notice: Read
this outline of coverage carefully. It is not identical to the outline of
coverage provided upon application and the coverage originally applied for has
not been issued";
(c) The outline
of coverage provided to applicants pursuant to this section consists of four
parts; a cover page, premium information, disclosure pages and charts
displaying the features of each benefit plan offered by the issuer. The outline
of coverage shall be in the language and format prescribed in Exhibit
1;
(d) The outline of coverage may
be designated by the insurer either as an outline of coverage or as a fact
sheet.
(5) An issuer
shall give notice regarding policies or certificates that are not Medicare
supplement policies, as follows:
(a) Any
health insurance policy, other than a Medicare supplement policy, a policy
issued pursuant to a contract under Section 1876 of the federal Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. Section
1395 et seq.); any disability income policy
or other policy identified in OAR
836-052-0114(4),
issued for delivery in this state to persons eligible for Medicare shall notify
insureds under the policy that the policy is not a Medicare supplement policy
or certificate;
(b) The notice
under subsection (a) of this section shall be printed on or attached to the
first page of the outline of coverage delivered to insureds under the policy,
or if no outline of coverage is delivered, to the first page of the policy or
certificate delivered to insureds. The notice shall be in no less than 12 point
type and shall contain the following language: "THIS (POLICY OR CERTIFICATE) IS
NOT A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT (POLICY OR CONTRACT). If you are eligible for
Medicare, review the Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare
available from the company";
(c)
Applications provided to persons eligible for Medicare for the health insurance
policies or certificates described in section (4)(a) of this rule shall
disclose, using the applicable standard statement in Appendix C, the extent to
which the policy duplicates Medicare. The disclosure statement shall be
provided as part of, or together with, the application for the policy or
certificate.
Appendices and Exhibits referenced are not included in rule
text. Click here for
PDF copy of appendicies.
Publications: Publications referenced are available from the
agency.
Stat. Auth.: ORS
731.244,
743.683 &
743.685
Stats. Implemented: ORS
743.683,
743.685 &
743.686