The following standards are applicable to all Medicare supplement policies or certificates delivered or issued for delivery in this state on or after July 1, 1992, and with an effective date prior to June 1, 2010.

(a) An issuer shall make available to each prospective policyholder and certificate holder a policy form or certificate form containing only the basic (core) benefits, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 10192.8.

(b) No groups, packages, or combinations of Medicare supplement benefits other than those listed in this section shall be offered for sale in this state, except as may be permitted by subdivision (f) and by Section 10192.10.

(c) Benefit plans shall be uniform in structure, language, designation and format to the standard benefit plans A to L, inclusive, listed in subdivision (e), and shall conform to the definitions in Section 10192.4. Each benefit shall be structured in accordance with the format provided in subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e) of Section 10192.8 and list the benefits in the order listed in subdivision (e). For purposes of this section, “structure, language, and format” means style, arrangement, and overall content of a benefit.

(d) An issuer may use, in addition to the benefit plan designations required in subdivision (c), other designations to the extent permitted by law.

(e) With respect to the makeup of benefit plans, the following shall apply:

(1) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan A shall be limited to the basic (core) benefit common to all benefit plans, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 10192.8.

(2) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan B shall include only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8.

(3) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan C shall include only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, Medicare Part B deductible, and medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively.

(4) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan D shall include only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, and the at-home recovery benefit as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (8), and (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively.

(5) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan E shall include only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, and preventive medical care as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (8), and (9) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively.

(6) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan F shall include only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, the skilled nursing facility care, the Medicare Part B deductible, 100 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, and medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively.

(7) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan F shall include only the following: 100 percent of covered expenses following the payment of the annual high deductible plan F deductible. The covered expenses include the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, the Medicare Part B deductible, 100 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, and medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively. The annual high deductible plan F deductible shall consist of out-of-pocket expenses, other than premiums, for services covered by the Medicare supplement plan F policy, and shall be in addition to any other specific benefit deductibles. The annual high deductible Plan F deductible shall be one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for 1998 and 1999, and shall be based on the calendar year, as adjusted annually thereafter by the secretary to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for the 12-month period ending with August of the preceding year, and rounded to the nearest multiple of ten dollars ($10).

(8) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan G shall include only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, 80 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, and the at-home recovery benefit as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (4), (8), and (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively.

(9) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan H shall consist of only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, basic outpatient prescription drug benefit, and medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (6), and (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold on or after January 1, 2006.

(10) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan I shall consist of only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, 100 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, basic outpatient prescription drug benefit, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, and at-home recovery benefit as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (5), (6), (8), and (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold on or after January 1, 2006.

(11) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan J shall consist of only the following: the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, Medicare Part B deductible, 100 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, extended outpatient prescription drug benefit, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, preventive medical care, and at-home recovery benefit as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold on or after January 1, 2006.

(12) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan J shall consist of only the following: 100 percent of covered expenses following the payment of the annual high deductible plan J deductible. The covered expenses include the core benefit, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, Medicare Part B deductible, 100 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, extended outpatient prescription drug benefit, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, preventive medical care benefit, and at-home recovery benefit as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 10192.8, respectively. The annual high deductible plan J deductible shall consist of out-of-pocket expenses, other than premiums, for services covered by the Medicare supplement plan J policy, and shall be in addition to any other specific benefit deductibles. The annual deductible shall be one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for 1998 and 1999, and shall be based on a calendar year, as adjusted annually thereafter by the secretary to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for the 12-month period ending with August of the preceding year, and rounded to the nearest multiple of ten dollars ($10). The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold on or after January 1, 2006.

(13) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan K shall consist of only those benefits described in subdivision (d) of Section 10192.8.

(14) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan L shall consist of only those benefits described in subdivision (e) of Section 10192.8.

(f) An issuer may, with the prior approval of the commissioner, offer policies or certificates with new or innovative benefits in addition to the benefits provided in a policy or certificate that otherwise complies with the applicable standards. The new or innovative benefits may include benefits that are appropriate to Medicare supplement insurance, that are not otherwise available and that are cost-effective and offered in a manner that is consistent with the goal of simplification of Medicare supplement policies. On and after January 1, 2006, the innovative benefit shall not include an outpatient prescription drug benefit.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 10, Sec. 19. Effective July 2, 2009.)