The following standards are applicable to all Medicare supplement policies or certificates advertised, solicited, or issued for delivery on or after January 1, 2001, and with an effective date prior to June 1, 2010. A policy or certificate shall not be advertised, solicited, or issued for delivery as a Medicare supplement policy or certificate unless it complies with these benefit standards.
(a) The following general standards apply to Medicare supplement policies and certificates and are in addition to all other requirements of this article:
(1) A Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall not exclude or limit benefits for losses incurred more than six months from the effective date of coverage because it involved a preexisting condition. The policy or certificate shall not define a preexisting condition more restrictively than a condition for which medical advice was given or treatment was recommended by or received from a physician within six months before the effective date of coverage.
(2) A Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall not indemnify against losses resulting from sickness on a different basis than losses resulting from accidents.
(3) A Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall provide that benefits designed to cover cost-sharing amounts under Medicare will be changed automatically to coincide with any changes in the applicable Medicare deductible, copayment, or coinsurance amounts. Premiums may be modified to correspond with those changes.
(4) A Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall not provide for termination of coverage of a spouse solely because of the occurrence of an event specified for termination of coverage of the insured, other than the nonpayment of premium.
(5) Each Medicare supplement policy shall be guaranteed renewable or noncancelable.
(A) The issuer shall not cancel or nonrenew the policy solely on the ground of health status of the individual.
(B) The issuer shall not cancel or nonrenew the policy for any reason other than nonpayment of premium or misrepresentation which is shown by the issuer to be material to the acceptance for coverage. The contestability period for Medicare supplement insurance shall be two years.
(C) If the Medicare supplement policy is terminated by the master policyholder and is not replaced as provided under subparagraph (E), the issuer shall offer certificate holders an individual Medicare supplement policy that, at the option of the certificate holder, either provides for continuation of the benefits contained in the group policy or provides for benefits that otherwise meet the requirements of one of the standardized policies defined in this article.
(D) If an individual is a certificate holder in a group Medicare supplement policy and membership in the group is terminated, the issuer shall either offer the certificate holder the conversion opportunity described in subparagraph (C) or, at the option of the group policyholder, shall offer the certificate holder continuation of coverage under the group policy.
(E) (i) If a group Medicare supplement policy is replaced by another group Medicare supplement policy purchased by the same policyholder, the issuer of the replacement policy shall offer coverage to all persons covered under the old group policy on its date of termination. Coverage under the new policy shall not result in any exclusion for preexisting conditions that would have been covered under the group policy being replaced.
(ii) If a Medicare supplement policy or certificate replaces another Medicare supplement policy or certificate that has been in force for six months or more, the replacing issuer shall not impose an exclusion or limitation based on a preexisting condition. If the original coverage has been in force for less than six months, the replacing issuer shall waive any time period applicable to preexisting conditions, waiting periods, elimination periods, or probationary periods in the new policy or certificate to the extent the time was spent under the original coverage.
(F) If a Medicare supplement policy eliminates an outpatient prescription drug benefit as a result of requirements imposed by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-173), the policy as modified as a result of that act shall be deemed to satisfy the guaranteed renewal requirements of this paragraph.
(6) Termination of a Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall be without prejudice to any continuous loss that commenced while the policy was in force, but the extension of benefits beyond the period during which the policy was in force may be predicated upon the continuous total disability of the insured, limited to the duration of the policy benefit period, if any, or to payment of the maximum benefits. Receipt of Medicare Part D benefits shall not be considered in determining a continuous loss.
(7) (A) (i) A Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall provide that benefits and premiums under the policy or certificate shall be suspended at the request of the policyholder or certificate holder for the period, not to exceed 24 months, in which the policyholder or certificate holder has applied for and is determined to be entitled to Medi-Cal, but only if the policyholder or certificate holder notifies the issuer of the policy or certificate within 90 days after the date the individual becomes entitled to assistance. Upon receipt of timely notice, the insurer shall return directly to the insured that portion of the premium attributable to the period of Medi-Cal eligibility, subject to adjustment for paid claims. If suspension occurs and if the policyholder or certificate holder loses entitlement to Medi-Cal, the policy or certificate shall be automatically reinstituted (effective as of the date of termination of entitlement) as of the termination of entitlement if the policyholder or certificate holder provides notice of loss of entitlement within 90 days after the date of loss and pays the premium attributable to the period, effective as of the date of termination of entitlement, or equivalent coverage shall be provided if the prior form is no longer available.
(ii) A Medicare supplement policy or certificate shall provide that benefits and premiums under the policy or certificate shall be suspended at the request of the policyholder or certificate holder for any period that may be provided by federal regulation if the policyholder is entitled to benefits under Section 226(b) of the Social Security Act and is covered under a group health plan, as defined in Section 1862(b)(1)(A)(v) of the Social Security Act. If suspension occurs and the policyholder or certificate holder loses coverage under the group health plan, the policy or certificate shall be automatically reinstituted, effective as of the date of loss of coverage if the policyholder provides notice within 90 days of the date of the loss of coverage.
(B) Reinstitution of coverages:
(i) Shall not provide for any waiting period with respect to treatment of preexisting conditions.
(ii) Shall provide for resumption of coverage that is substantially equivalent to coverage in effect before the date of suspension. If the suspended Medicare supplement policy provided coverage for outpatient prescription drugs, reinstitution of the policy for a Medicare Part D enrollee shall not include coverage for outpatient prescription drugs but shall otherwise provide coverage that is substantially equivalent to the coverage in effect before the date of suspension.
(iii) Shall provide for classification of premiums on terms at least as favorable to the policyholder or certificate holder as the premium classification terms that would have applied to the policyholder or certificate holder had the coverage not been suspended.
(8) If an issuer makes a written offer to the Medicare supplement policyholders or certificate holders of one or more of its plans, to exchange during a specified period from his or her 1990 standardized plan, as described in Section 10192.9, to a 2010 standardized plan, as described in Section 10192.91, the offer and subsequent exchange shall comply with the following requirements:
(A) An issuer need not provide justification to the commissioner if the insured replaces a 1990 standardized policy or certificate with an issue age rated 2010 standardized policy or certificate at the insured’s original issue age and duration. If an insured’s policy or certificate to be replaced is priced on an issue age rate schedule at the time of that offer, the rate charged to the insured for the new exchanged policy shall recognize the policy reserve buildup, due to the prefunding inherent in the use of an issue age rate basis, for the benefit of the insured. The method proposed to be used by an issuer shall be filed with the commissioner.
(B) The rating class of the new policy or certificate shall be the class closest to the insured’s class of the replaced coverage.
(C) An issuer shall not apply new preexisting condition limitations or a new incontestability period to the new policy for those benefits contained in the exchanged 1990 standardized policy or certificate of the insured, but may apply preexisting condition limitations of no more than six months to any added benefits contained in the new 2010 standardized policy or certificate not contained in the exchanged policy. This subparagraph shall not apply to an applicant who is guaranteed issue under Section 10192.11 or 10192.12.
(D) The new policy or certificate shall be offered to all policyholders or certificate holders within a given plan, except where the offer or issue would be in violation of state or federal law.
(9) A Medicare supplement policy shall not limit coverage exclusively to a single disease or affliction.
(b) With respect to the standards for basic (core) benefits for benefit plans A to J, inclusive, every issuer shall make available a policy or certificate including only the following basic “core” package of benefits to each prospective insured. An issuer may make available to prospective insureds any of the other Medicare supplement insurance benefit plans in addition to the basic core package, but not in lieu of it. However, the benefits described in paragraphs (6) and (7) shall not be offered so long as California is required to disallow these benefits for Medicare beneficiaries by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or other agent of the federal government under Section 1395ss of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(1) Coverage of Part A Medicare eligible expenses for hospitalization to the extent not covered by Medicare from the 61st day to the 90th day, inclusive, in any Medicare benefit period.
(2) Coverage of Part A Medicare eligible expenses incurred for hospitalization to the extent not covered by Medicare for each Medicare lifetime inpatient reserve day used.
(3) 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 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.
(4) Coverage under Medicare Parts A and B for 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.
(5) Coverage for the coinsurance amount, or in the case of hospital outpatient department services, the copayment amount, of Medicare eligible expenses under Part B regardless of hospital confinement, subject to the Medicare Part B deductible.
(6) Coverage of the actual cost, up to the legally billed amount, of an annual mammogram as provided in Section 10123.81, to the extent not paid by Medicare.
(7) Coverage of the actual cost, up to the legally billed amount, of an annual cervical cancer screening test as provided in Section 10123.18, to the extent not paid by Medicare.
(c) The following additional benefits shall be included in Medicare supplement benefit plans B to J, inclusive, only as provided by Section 10192.9.
(1) With respect to the Medicare Part A deductible, coverage for all of the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible amount per benefit period.
(2) With respect to skilled nursing facility care, coverage for the actual billed charges up to the coinsurance amount from the 21st day to the 100th day, inclusive, in a Medicare benefit period for posthospital skilled nursing facility care eligible under Medicare Part A.
(3) With respect to the Medicare Part B deductible, coverage for all of the Medicare Part B deductible amount per calendar year regardless of hospital confinement.
(4) With respect to 80 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, coverage for 80 percent of the difference between the actual Medicare Part B charge as billed, not to exceed any charge limitation established by the Medicare Program or state law, and the Medicare-approved Part B charge. If the insurer limits payment to a limiting charge, the insurer has the burden to establish that amount as the legal limit.
(5) With respect to 100 percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, coverage for all of the difference between the actual Medicare Part B charge as billed, not to exceed any charge limitation established by the Medicare Program or state law, and the Medicare-approved Part B charge. If the insurer limits payment to a limiting charge, the insurer has the burden to establish that amount as the legal limit.
(6) With respect to the basic outpatient prescription drug benefit, coverage for 50 percent of outpatient prescription drug charges, after a two hundred fifty dollar ($250) calendar year deductible, to a maximum of one thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($1,250) in benefits received by the insured per calendar year, to the extent not covered by Medicare. On and after January 1, 2006, no Medicare supplement policy may be sold or issued if it includes a prescription drug benefit.
(7) With respect to the extended outpatient prescription drug benefit, coverage for 50 percent of outpatient prescription drug charges, after a two hundred fifty dollar ($250) calendar year deductible, to a maximum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) in benefits received by the insured per calendar year, to the extent not covered by Medicare. On and after January 1, 2006, no Medicare supplement policy may be sold or issued if it includes a prescription drug benefit.
(8) With respect to medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, coverage to the extent not covered by Medicare for 80 percent of the billed charges for Medicare-eligible expenses for medically necessary emergency hospital, physician, and medical care received in a foreign country, which care would have been covered by Medicare if provided in the United States and which care began during the first 60 consecutive days of each trip outside the United States, subject to a calendar year deductible of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), and a lifetime maximum benefit of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). For purposes of this benefit, “emergency care” shall mean care needed immediately because of an injury or an illness of sudden and unexpected onset.
(9) With respect to the following, reimbursement shall be for the actual charges up to 100 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for each service, as if Medicare were to cover the service as identified in American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology (AMA CPT) codes, up to a maximum of one hundred twenty dollars ($120) annually under this benefit, however, this benefit shall not include payment for any procedure covered by Medicare:
(A) An annual clinical preventive medical history and physical examination that may include tests and services from subparagraph (B) and patient education to address preventive health care measures.
(B) The following screening tests or preventive services that are not covered by Medicare, the selection and frequency of which are determined to be medically appropriate by the attending physician:
(i) Fecal occult blood test.
(ii) Mammogram.
(C) Influenza vaccine administered at any appropriate time during the year.
(10) With respect to the at-home recovery benefit, coverage for the actual charges up to forty dollars ($40) per visit and an annual maximum of one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) per year to provide short-term, at-home assistance with activities of daily living for those recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery.
(A) For purposes of this benefit, the following definitions shall apply:
(i) “Activities of daily living” include, but are not limited to, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, transferring, eating, ambulating, assistance with drugs that are normally self-administered, and changing bandages or other dressings.
(ii) “Care provider” means a duly qualified or licensed home health aide or homemaker, or a personal care aide or nurse provided through a licensed home health care agency or referred by a licensed referral agency or licensed nurses registry.
(iii) “Home” shall mean any place used by the insured as a place of residence, provided that the place would qualify as a residence for home health care services covered by Medicare. A hospital or skilled nursing facility shall not be considered the insured’s place of residence.
(iv) “At-home recovery visit” means the period of a visit required to provide at-home recovery care, without any limit on the duration of the visit, except that each consecutive four hours in a 24-hour period of services provided by a care provider is one visit.
(B) With respect to coverage requirements and limitations, the following shall apply:
(i) At-home recovery services provided shall be primarily services that assist in activities of daily living.
(ii) The insured’s attending physician shall certify that the specific type and frequency of at-home recovery services are necessary because of a condition for which a home care plan of treatment was approved by Medicare.
(iii) Coverage is limited to the following:
(I) No more than the number and type of at-home recovery visits certified as necessary by the insured’s attending physician. The total number of at-home recovery visits shall not exceed the number of Medicare-approved home health care visits under a Medicare-approved home care plan of treatment.
(II) The actual charges for each visit up to a maximum reimbursement of forty dollars ($40) per visit.
(III) One thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) per calendar year.
(IV) Seven visits in any one week.
(V) Care furnished on a visiting basis in the insured’s home.
(VI) Services provided by a care provider as defined in subparagraph (A).
(VII) At-home recovery visits while the insured is covered under the policy or certificate and not otherwise excluded.
(VIII) At-home recovery visits received during the period the insured is receiving Medicare-approved home care services or no more than eight weeks after the service date of the last Medicare-approved home health care visit.
(C) Coverage is excluded for the following:
(i) Home care visits paid for by Medicare or other government programs.
(ii) Care provided by family members, unpaid volunteers, or providers who are not care providers.
(d) The standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “K” shall consist of the following benefits:
(1) Coverage of 100 percent of the Medicare Part A hospital coinsurance amount for each day used from the 61st to the 90th day, inclusive, in any Medicare benefit period.
(2) Coverage of 100 percent of the Medicare Part A hospital coinsurance amount for each Medicare lifetime inpatient reserve day used from the 91st to the 150th day, inclusive, in any Medicare benefit period.
(3) 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 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 for this benefit as payment in full and shall not bill the insured for any balance.
(4) With respect to the Medicare Part A deductible, coverage for 50 percent of the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible amount per benefit period until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (10) is met.
(5) With respect to skilled nursing facility care, coverage for 50 percent of the coinsurance amount for each day used from the 21st day to the 100th day, inclusive, in a Medicare benefit period for posthospital skilled nursing facility care eligible under Medicare Part A until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (10) is met.
(6) With respect to hospice care, coverage for 50 percent of cost sharing for all Medicare Part A eligible expenses and respite care until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (10) is met.
(7) 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 described in paragraph (10) is met.
(8) Except for coverage provided in paragraph (9), coverage for 50 percent of the cost sharing otherwise applicable under Medicare Part B after the policyholder pays the Part B deductible, until the out-of-pocket limitation is met as described in paragraph (10).
(9) Coverage of 100 percent of the cost sharing for Medicare Part B preventive services, after the policyholder pays the Medicare Part B deductible.
(10) 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.
(e) The standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “L” shall consist of the following benefits:
(1) The benefits described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (9) of subdivision (d).
(2) With respect to the Medicare Part A deductible, coverage for 75 percent of the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible amount per benefit period until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (8) is met.
(3) With respect to skilled nursing facility care, coverage for 75 percent of the coinsurance amount for each day used from the 21st day to the 100th day, inclusive, in a Medicare benefit period for posthospital skilled nursing facility care eligible under Medicare Part A until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (8) is met.
(4) With respect to hospice care, coverage for 75 percent of cost sharing for all Medicare Part A eligible expenses and respite care until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (8) is met.
(5) Coverage for 75 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 described in paragraph (8) is met.
(6) Except for coverage provided in paragraph (7), coverage for 75 percent of the cost sharing otherwise applicable under Medicare Part B after the policyholder pays the Part B deductible until the out-of-pocket limitation described in paragraph (8) is met.
(7) Coverage for 100 percent of the cost sharing for Medicare Part B preventive services after the policyholder pays the Part B deductible.
(8) Coverage of 100 percent of the cost sharing for 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 two thousand dollars ($2,000) in 2006, indexed each year by the appropriate inflation adjustment specified by the secretary.
(f) An issuer shall prominently indicate through text edits, or by other means acceptable to the commissioner, an amendment made to a Medicare supplement policy form that the department previously approved on the basis that the amendment is consistent with this section. The department may, in its discretion, restrict its review to amendments made to Medicare supplement policy forms that have not previously been found consistent with this section in order to facilitate the availability of amended policy forms that are consistent with the federal Medicare Modernization Act. The department shall not restrict its review if the amendment makes additional changes to the Medicare supplement policy form.
(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 10, Sec. 17. Effective July 2, 2009.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018