1358.91
. The following standards are applicable to all Medicare
supplement contracts delivered or issued for delivery in this state
with an effective date on or after June 1, 2010. No contract may be
advertised, solicited, delivered, or issued for delivery in this
state as a Medicare supplement contract unless it complies with these
benefit plan standards. Benefit plan standards applicable to
Medicare supplement contracts issued with an effective date before
June 1, 2010, remain subject to the requirements of Section 1358.9.
(a) (1) An issuer shall make available to each prospective
enrollee and subscriber a contract containing only the basic (core)
benefits, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81.
(2) If an issuer makes available any of the additional benefits
described in subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81, or offers
standardized benefit plan K or L, as described in paragraphs (8) and
(9) of subdivision (e), then the issuer shall make available to each
prospective enrollee and subscriber, in addition to a contract with
only the basic (core) benefits as described in paragraph (1), a
contract containing either standardized benefit plan C, as described
in paragraph (3) of subdivision (e), or standardized benefit plan F,
as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (e).
(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 in subdivision (f)
and by Section 1358.10.
(c) Benefit plans shall be uniform in structure, language,
designation, and format to the standard benefit plans listed in
subdivision (e) and conform to the definitions in Section 1358.4.
Each benefit shall be structured in accordance with the format
provided in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 1358.81; or, in the
case of plan K or L, in paragraph (8) or (9) of subdivision (e) of
Section 1358.91 and list the benefits in the order shown in
subdivision (e). For purposes of this section, "structure, language,
and format" means style, arrangement, and overall content of a
benefit.
(d) In addition to the benefit plan designations required in
subdivision (c), an issuer may use other designations to the extent
permitted by law.
(e) With respect to the makeup of 2010 standardized benefit plans,
the following shall apply:
(1) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan A shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefits as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81.
(2) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan B shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of
Section 1358.81.
(3) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan C shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, 100 percent of the
Medicare Part B deductible, and medically necessary emergency care in
a foreign country, as defined in paragraphs (1), (3), (4), and (6)
of subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81, respectively.
(4) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan D shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit, as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, and medically
necessary emergency care in a foreign country, as defined in
paragraphs (1), (3), and (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81,
respectively.
(5) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan F shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, 100 percent of 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), (3), (4), (5), and (6) of
subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81, respectively.
(6) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan
F shall include only the following: 100 percent of covered expenses
following the payment of the annual deductible set forth in
subparagraph (B).
(A) The basic (core) benefit as defined in subdivision (b) of
Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare Part A deductible,
skilled nursing facility care, 100 percent of 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), (3), (4), (5), and (6) of subdivision (c) of
Section 1358.81, respectively.
(B) The annual deductible in high deductible plan F shall consist
of out-of-pocket expenses, other than premiums, for services covered
by plan F, and shall be in addition to any other specific benefit
deductibles. The basis for the deductible shall be one thousand five
hundred dollars ($1,500) and shall be adjusted annually from 1999 by
the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services 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).
(7) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan G shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, 100 percent of the
Medicare Part B excess charges, and medically necessary emergency
care in a foreign country, as defined in paragraphs (1), (3), (5),
and (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81, respectively.
(8) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan K shall include
only the following:
(A) Coverage of 100 percent of the Part A hospital coinsurance
amount for each day used from the 61st through the 90th day in any
Medicare benefit period.
(B) Coverage of 100 percent of the Part A hospital coinsurance
amount for each Medicare lifetime inpatient reserve day used from the
91st through the 150th day in any Medicare benefit period.
(C) Upon exhaustion of the Medicare hospital inpatient coverage,
including the lifetime reserve days, coverage of 100 percent of the
Medicare Part A eligible expenses for hospitalization paid at the
applicable prospective payment system (PPS) rate, or other
appropriate Medicare standard of payment, subject to a lifetime
maximum benefit of an additional 365 days. The provider shall accept
the issuer's payment as payment in full and may not bill the insured
for any balance.
(D) Coverage for 50 percent of the Medicare Part A inpatient
hospital deductible amount per benefit period until the out-of-pocket
limitation is met as described in subparagraph (J).
(E) Coverage for 50 percent of the coinsurance amount for each day
used from the 21st day through the 100th day in a Medicare benefit
period for posthospital skilled nursing facility care eligible under
Medicare Part A until the out-of-pocket limitation is met as
described in subparagraph (J).
(F) Coverage for 50 percent of cost sharing for all Part A
Medicare eligible expenses and respite care until the out-of-pocket
limitation is met as described in subparagraph (J).
(G) Coverage for 50 percent, under Medicare Part A or B, of the
reasonable cost of the first three pints of blood, or equivalent
quantities of packed red blood cells, as defined under federal
regulations, unless replaced in accordance with federal regulations
until the out-of-pocket limitation is met as described in
subparagraph (J).
(H) Except for coverage provided in subparagraph (I), coverage for
50 percent of the cost sharing otherwise applicable under Medicare
Part B after the enrollee or subscriber pays the Part B deductible
until the out-of-pocket limitation is met as described in
subparagraph (J).
(I) Coverage of 100 percent of the cost sharing for Medicare Part
B preventive services after the enrollee or subscriber pays the Part
B deductible.
(J) Coverage of 100 percent of all cost sharing under Medicare
Parts A and B for the balance of the calendar year after the
individual has reached the out-of-pocket limitation on annual
expenditures under Medicare Parts A and B of four thousand dollars
($4,000) in 2006, indexed each year by the appropriate inflation
adjustment specified by the Secretary of the United States Department
of Health and Human Services.
(9) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan L shall include
only the following:
(A) The benefits described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (I)
of paragraph (8).
(B) The benefits described in subparagraphs (D), (E), (F), (G),
and (H) of paragraph (8), but substituting 75 percent for 50 percent.
(C) The benefit described in subparagraph (J) of paragraph (8),
but substituting two thousand dollars ($2,000) for four thousand
dollars ($4,000).
(10) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan M shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 50 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, and medically
necessary emergency care in a foreign country, as defined in
paragraphs (2), (3), and (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81,
respectively.
(11) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan N shall include
only the following: the basic (core) benefit as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 1358.81, plus 100 percent of the Medicare
Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, and medically
necessary emergency care in a foreign country, as defined in
paragraphs (1), (3), and (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 1358.81,
respectively, with copayments in the following amounts:
(A) The lesser of twenty dollars ($20) or the Medicare Part B
coinsurance or copayment for each covered health care provider office
visit, including visits to medical specialists.
(B) The lesser of fifty dollars ($50) or the Medicare Part B
coinsurance or copayment for each covered emergency room visit;
however, this copayment shall be waived if the enrollee or subscriber
is admitted to any hospital and the emergency visit is subsequently
covered as a Medicare Part A expense.
(f) An issuer may, with the prior approval of the director, offer
contracts with new or innovative benefits, in addition to the
standardized benefits provided in a contract that otherwise complies
with the applicable standards. The new or innovative benefits shall
include only benefits that are appropriate to Medicare supplement
contracts, are new or innovative, are not otherwise available, and
are cost effective. Approval of new or innovative benefits shall not
adversely impact the goal of Medicare supplement simplification. New
or innovative benefits shall not include an outpatient prescription
drug benefit. New or innovative benefits shall not be used to change
or reduce benefits, including a change of any cost-sharing provision,
in any standardized plan.