Title 8: Banking and Insurance
Chapter 107: HEALTH INSURANCE
8 V.S.A. § 4062. Filing and approval of policy forms and premiums
§ 4062 § 4062. Filing and approval of policy forms and premiums
(a)(1) No policy of health insurance or certificate under a policy filed by an insurer offering health insurance as defined in subdivision 3301(a)(2) of this title, a nonprofit hospital or medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, or a managed care organization and not exempted by subdivision 3368(a)(4) of this title shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state, nor shall any endorsement, rider, or application which becomes a part of any such policy be used, until:
(A) a copy of the form, premium rates, and rules for the classification of risks pertaining thereto have been filed with the commissioner of financial regulation; and
(B) a decision by the Green Mountain Care board has been applied by the commissioner as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection.
(2)(A) Prior to approving a rate pursuant to this subsection, the commissioner shall seek approval for such rate from the Green Mountain Care board established in 18 V.S.A. chapter 220. The commissioner shall make a recommendation to the Green Mountain Care board about whether to approve, modify, or disapprove the rate within 30 days of receipt of a completed application from an insurer. In the event that the commissioner does not make a recommendation to the board within the 30-day period, the commissioner shall be deemed to have recommended approval of the rate, and the Green Mountain Care board shall review the rate request pursuant to subdivision (B) of this subdivision (2).
(B) The Green Mountain Care board shall review rate requests forwarded by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision (A) of this subdivision (2) and shall approve, modify, or disapprove a rate request within 30 days of receipt of the commissioner's recommendation or, in the absence of a recommendation from the commissioner, the expiration of the 30-day period following the department's receipt of the completed application. In the event that the board does not approve or disapprove a rate within 30 days, the board shall be deemed to have approved the rate request.
(C) The commissioner shall apply the decision of the Green Mountain Care board as to rates referred to the board within five business days of the board's decision.
(3) The commissioner shall review policies and rates to determine whether a policy or rate is affordable, promotes quality care, promotes access to health care, and is not unjust, unfair, inequitable, misleading, or contrary to the laws of this state. The commissioner shall notify in writing the insurer which has filed any such form, premium rate, or rule if it contains any provision which does not meet the standards expressed in this section. In such notice, the commissioner shall state that a hearing will be granted within 20 days upon written request of the insurer.
(b) The commissioner may, after a hearing of which at least 20 days' written notice has been given to the insurer using such form, premium rate, or rule, withdraw approval on any of the grounds stated in this section. For premium rates, such withdrawal may occur at any time after applying the decision of the Green Mountain Care board pursuant to subdivision (a)(2)(C) of this section. Disapproval pursuant to this subsection shall be effected by written order of the commissioner which shall state the ground for disapproval and the date, not less than 30 days after such hearing when the withdrawal of approval shall become effective.
(c) In conjunction with a rate filing required by subsection (a) of this section, an insurer shall file a plain language summary of any requested rate increase of five percent or greater. If, during the plan year, the insurer files for rate increases that are cumulatively five percent or greater, the insurer shall file a summary applicable to the cumulative rate increase. All summaries shall include a brief justification of any rate increase requested, the information that the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requires for rate increases over 10 percent, and any other information required by the commissioner. The plain language summary shall be in the format required by the Secretary of HHS pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Public Law 111-148, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Public Law 111-152, and shall include notification of the public comment period established in subsecti
on (d) of this section. In addition, the insurer shall post the summaries on its website.
(d)(1) The commissioner shall provide information to the public on the department's website about the public availability of the filings and summaries required under this section.
(2) Beginning no later than January 1, 2012, the commissioner shall post the rate filings pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and summaries pursuant to subsection (c) of this section on the department's website within five days of filing. The department shall provide an electronic mechanism for the public to comment on proposed rate increases over five percent. The public shall have 21 days from the posting of the summaries and filings to provide public comment. The department shall review and consider the public comments prior to submitting the policy or rate for the Green Mountain Care board's approval pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. The department shall provide the Green Mountain Care board with the public comments for its consideration in approving any rates.
(e)(1) The following provisions of this section shall not apply to policies for specific disease, accident, injury, hospital indemnity, dental care, vision care, disability income, long-term care, or other limited benefit coverage:
(A) the requirement in subdivisions (a)(1) and (2) of this section for the Green Mountain Care board's approval on rate requests;
(B) the review standards in subdivision (a)(3) of this section as to whether a policy or rate is affordable, promotes quality care, and promotes access to health care; and
(C) subsections (c) and (d) of this section.
(2) The exemptions from the provisions described in subdivisions (1)(A) through (C) of this subsection shall also apply to benefit plans that are paid directly to an individual insured or to his or her assigns and for which the amount of the benefit is not based on potential medical costs or actual costs incurred.
(3) Medicare supplemental insurance policies shall be exempt only from the requirement in subdivisions (a)(1) and (2) of this section for the Green Mountain Care board's approval on rate requests and shall be subject to the remaining provisions of this section. (Added 1983, No. 238 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1989, No. 106, § 3; 1989, No. 106, § 3; 1989, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 25; 1995, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 38; 2011, No. 48, § 15, eff. Jan. 1, 2012; No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012; No. 171 (Adj. Sess.), § 25, eff. May 16, 2012.)