(a) The Board of Directors of the Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool shall select an insurer through a competitive bidding process to administer the plan. However, the administering insurer designated by the board created by Acts 1995, No. 1339, shall serve as the plan administrator under this subchapter until the expiration of the current contract of the administering insurer. The board shall evaluate bids submitted under this section based upon criteria established by the board which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) The plan administrator's proven ability to handle large group accident and health benefit plans;

(2) The efficiency and timeliness of the plan administrator's claim processing procedures;

(3) An estimate of total charges for administering the plan;

(4) The plan administrator's ability to apply effective cost containment programs and procedures and to administer the plan in a cost efficient manner; and

(5) The financial condition and stability of the plan administrator.

(b)

(1) The plan administrator shall serve for a period of three (3) years subject to removal for cause and subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of the contract between the board and the plan administrator.

(2) The board shall advertise for and accept bids to serve as the plan administrator for the succeeding three-year periods.

(c) The plan administrator shall perform functions related to the plan as may be assigned to it, including:

(1) Determination of eligibility;

(2) Payment and processing of claims;

(3) Establishment of a premium billing procedure for collection of premiums. Billings shall be made on a periodic basis as determined by the board; and

(4) Other necessary functions to assure timely payment of benefits to covered persons under the plan, including:

(A) Making available information relating to the proper manner of submitting a claim for benefits under the plan and distributing forms upon which submissions shall be made; and

(B) Evaluating the eligibility of each claim for payment under the plan.

(d)

(1) The plan administrator shall submit regular reports to the board regarding the operation of the plan.

(2) Frequency, content, and form of the report shall be determined by the board.

(e)

(1) The plan administrator shall pay claim expenses from the premium payments received from or on behalf of plan participants and allocated by the board for claim expenses.

(2) If the plan administrator's payments for claims expenses exceed the portion of premiums allocated by the board for payment of claims expenses, the board shall provide additional funds to the plan administrator for payment of claims expenses.

(f) The plan administrator shall be governed by the requirements of this subchapter and shall be compensated as provided in the contract between the board and the plan administrator.