An Act Regarding the Electronic Submission of Filings
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §2304-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 188, Pt. B, §1, is further amended to read:
1. Every insurer shall file with the superintendent, except as to inland marine risks, which by general custom of the business are not written according to manual rates or rating plans, every manual rate, minimum premium, class rate, rating schedule or rating plan and every other rating rule, and every modification of any of the foregoing that it proposes to use. The filing must state the effective date of the filing and indicate the character and extent of the coverage contemplated. The filing must be made not less than 30 days in advance of the stated effective date unless that 30-day requirement is waived by the superintendent. The effective date may be suspended by the superintendent for a period of time not to exceed 60 days, except that the effective date for filings made electronically may not be suspended. Filings made electronically must be acted The superintendent shall act on a filing no later than 30 days from receipt unless an extension is requested by the filer. A filing required under this section must be made electronically in a format required by the superintendent unless exempted by rule adopted by the superintendent. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2382-C, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 885, Pt. B, §12 and affected by §13, is further amended to read:
2. Form and manner of filing. Rates filed pursuant to this section must be filed in a form and manner prescribed by the superintendent. If a filing is not accompanied by the information the superintendent has required under this section, the superintendent shall notify the insurer as soon as possible and the filing is deemed as not made until the information is provided. A filing required under this section must be made electronically in a format required by the superintendent unless exempted by rule adopted by the superintendent. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 3. 24-A MRSA §2412, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2003, c. 671, Pt. A, §2, is further amended to read:
2. Every filing must be made not less than 30 days in advance of any delivery. At the expiration of the 30 days, the form so filed is deemed approved unless prior thereto it has been affirmatively approved or disapproved by order of the superintendent. Approval of the form by the superintendent constitutes a waiver of any unexpired portion of the waiting period. The superintendent may extend by not more than an additional 30 days the period within which the superintendent may affirmatively approve or disapprove any form, by giving notice to the insurer of the extension before expiration of the initial 30-day period, except that the effective date of a filing made electronically for a coverage under a health, life or annuity product may not be extended. The superintendent shall act on a filing no later than 30 days from receipt unless an extension is requested by the filer. A filing required under this section must be made electronically in a format required by the superintendent unless exempted by rule adopted by the superintendent. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. At the expiration of the period so extended, and in the absence of prior affirmative approval or disapproval, any form is deemed approved. The superintendent may at any time, after hearing and for cause shown, withdraw any approval.
Sec. 4. 24-A MRSA §2736, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2003, c. 428, Pt. F, §2, is further amended to read:
1. Filing of rate information. Every insurer shall file with the superintendent every rate, rating formula, classification of risks and every modification of any formula or classification that it proposes to use in connection with individual health insurance policies and certain group policies specified in section 2701. Every such filing must state the effective date of the filing. Every such filing must be made not less than 60 days in advance of the stated effective date, unless the 60-day requirement is waived by the superintendent, and the effective date may be suspended by the superintendent for a period of time not to exceed 30 days. In the case of a filing that meets the criteria in subsection 3, the superintendent may suspend the effective date for a longer period not to exceed 30 days from the date the organization satisfactorily responds to any reasonable discovery requests. A filing required under this section must be made electronically in a format required by the superintendent unless exempted by rule adopted by the superintendent. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 5. 24-A MRSA §2839, as amended by PL 2003, c. 428, Pt. E, §2, is further amended to read:
A policy of group health insurance may not be delivered in this State until a copy of the group rates to be used in calculating the premium for these policies has been filed for informational purposes with the superintendent. The filing must include the base rates and a description of any procedures to be used to adjust the base rates to reflect factors including but not limited to age, gender, health status, claims experience, group size and coverage of dependents. Notwithstanding this section, rates for group Medicare supplement, nursing home care or long-term care insurance contracts and for certain association groups and other groups specified in section 2701, subsection 2, paragraph C must be filed in accordance with section 2736. Rates for small group health insurance subject to section 2808-B are subject to the additional filing requirements specified in that section. A filing required under this section must be made electronically in a format required by the superintendent unless exempted by rule adopted by the superintendent. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 6. 24-A MRSA §4207, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1995, c. 332, Pt. O, §3, is further amended to read:
2. No evidence of coverage, or amendment thereto, or underlying contract may be issued or delivered to any person in this State until a copy of the form of the evidence of coverage, amendment thereto and any underlying contract, has been filed with and approved by the superintendent. A filing required under this section must be made electronically in a format required by the superintendent unless exempted by rule adopted by the superintendent. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
summary
This bill amends the Maine Insurance Code to require that rate and form filings be made electronically in a format required by the Superintendent of Insurance.