(a)As used in this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)?Health care service plan? means any plan as defined in Section 1345 of the Health and Safety Code, but this section does not apply to specialized health care service contracts.
(2)?Carrier? means a health care service plan, an insurer issuing group disability coverage which covers hospital, medical, or surgical expenses, a nonprofit hospital service plan, or any other entity responsible for either the payment of benefits for or the provision of hospital, medical, and surgical benefits under a group contract.
(3)?Insolvency? means that the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care has determined that the health care service plan is not financially able to provide health care services to its enrollees and (A) the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care has taken an action pursuant to Section 1386, 1391, or 1399 of the Health and Safety Code, or (B) an order requested by the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care or the Attorney General has been issued by the superior court under Section 1392, 1393, or 1394.1 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b)In the event of the insolvency of a health care service plan, upon order of the commissioner which shall be issued following his or her receipt of a notice issued by the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care pursuant to Section 1394.7 of the Health and Safety Code, any insurer, nonprofit hospital service plan, and any other entity, other than a health care service plan, responsible for either the payment of benefits for or the provision of hospital, medical, and surgical benefits under a group contract, that participated in the enrollment process with the insolvent health care service plan at the last regular open enrollment period of a group, shall offer enrollees of the group in the insolvent health care service plan a 30-day enrollment period commencing upon the date of insolvency. Each such carrier shall offer enrollees of the group in the insolvent health care service plan the same coverages and rates that it offered to enrollees of the group at the last regular open enrollment period of the group.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 857, Sec. 57. Effective January 1, 2001.)
(a)As used in this section:
(1)?Carrier? means a specialized health care service plan, and any of the following entities which offer coverage comparable to the coverages offered by a specialized health care service plan: an insurer issuing group disability coverage; a nonprofit hospital service plan; or other entity responsible for either the payment of benefits for or the provision of services under a group contract.
(2)?Insolvency? means that the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care has determined that the specialized health care service plan is not financially able to provide specialized health care services to its enrollees and (A) the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care has taken an action pursuant to Section 1386, 1391, or 1399 of the Health and Safety Code, or (B) an order requested by the commissioner or the Attorney General has been issued by the superior court under Section 1392, 1393, or 1394.1 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3)?Specialized health care service plan? means any plan authorized to issue only specialized health care service plan contracts as defined in Section 1345 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b)In the event of the insolvency of a specialized health care service plan, upon order of the commissioner which shall be issued following his or her receipt of a notice issued by the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care pursuant to Section 1394.8 of the Health and Safety Code, all carriers that participated in the enrollment process with the insolvent specialized health care service plan at a group?s last regular open enrollment period for the same type of specialized health care service benefits shall offer the group?s enrollees in the insolvent specialized health care service plan a 30-day enrollment period commencing upon the date of insolvency. Each such carrier shall offer enrollees of the insolvent specialized health care service plan the same specialized coverage and rates that it had offered to the enrollees of the group at its last regular open enrollment period.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 857, Sec. 58. Effective January 1, 2001.)
(a)The commissioner shall have the administrative authority to assess penalties against any person, including a natural person or other entity, for violations of this article.
(b)Upon a showing of a violation of this article in any civil action, a court may also assess the penalties prescribed in this section.
(c)Whenever the commissioner has reasonable cause to believe or determines after a public hearing that any person has violated this article he or she shall make and serve upon the person an notice of hearing. The notice shall state the commissioner?s intent to assess the administrative penalties, the time and place of the hearing, and the conduct, condition or grounds upon which the commissioner is holding the hearing and assessing the penalties. The hearings shall occur within 30 days after the notice is served. Within 30 days after the hearing the commissioner shall issue an order specifying the penalty. The penalties resulting from the hearing shall be paid to the Insurance Fund, but may be spent only when appropriated by the Legislature.
(d)Any person who violates this article is liable for administrative penalties of no less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1043, Sec. 11.)