44-5266. Small employer carrier; market health benefit plan coverage; carrier, agent, or broker; prohibited activities; compensation to agent or broker; denial of application; rules and regulations; unfair trade practice; when; third-party administrator.

(1) Each small employer carrier shall actively market health benefit plan coverage, including the basic health benefit plans and standard health benefit plans, to eligible small employers in the state. If a small employer carrier denies coverage to a small employer on the basis of the health status or claims experience of the small employer or its employees or dependents, the small employer carrier shall offer the small employer the opportunity to purchase a basic health benefit plan and a standard health benefit plan.

(2)(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this subsection, no small employer carrier, agent, or broker shall, directly or indirectly, engage in the following activities:

(i) Encouraging or directing small employers to refrain from filing an application for coverage with the small employer carrier because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic location of the small employer; or

(ii) Encouraging or directing small employers to seek coverage from another carrier because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic location of the small employer.

(b) The provisions of subdivision (a) of this subsection shall not apply with respect to information provided by a small employer carrier, an agent, or a broker to a small employer regarding the established geographic service area or a restricted network provision of a small employer carrier.

(3)(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this subsection, no small employer carrier shall, directly or indirectly, enter into any contract, agreement, or arrangement with an agent or broker that provides for or results in the compensation paid to an agent or broker for the sale of a health benefit plan to be varied because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic location of the small employer.

(b) The provisions of subdivision (a) of this subsection shall not apply with respect to a compensation arrangement that provides compensation to an agent or broker on the basis of percentage of premium except that the percentage shall not vary because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic area of the small employer.

(4) A small employer carrier shall provide reasonable compensation to an agent or broker, if any, for the sale of a basic health benefit plan or a standard health benefit plan.

(5) No small employer carrier, agent, or broker may induce or otherwise encourage a small employer to separate or otherwise exclude an employee from health coverage or benefits provided in connection with the employee's employment.

(6) Denial by a small employer carrier of an application for coverage from a small employer shall be in writing and shall state the reason or reasons for the denial.

(7) The director may establish rules and regulations setting forth additional standards to provide for the fair marketing and broad availability of health benefit plans to small employers in this state.

(8)(a) A violation of this section by a small employer carrier, an agent, or a broker shall be an unfair trade practice in the business of insurance under the Unfair Insurance Trade Practices Act.

(b) If a small employer carrier enters into a contract, agreement, or other arrangement with a third-party administrator to provide administrative, marketing, or other services related to the offering of health benefit plans to small employers in this state, the third-party administrator shall be subject to this section as if it were a small employer carrier.

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