(1) A group health insurance policy shall contain a provision allowing a minimum grace period of 10 days after the premium due date for payment of premium.
(2) An insurer of a group health insurance policy providing coverage for hospital or medical expenses, other than coverage limited to expenses from accidents or specific diseases, that seeks to terminate a policy for nonpayment of premium shall notify the policyholder as described in ORS 743.565.
(3) An insurer of a group health insurance policy providing coverage for hospital or medical expenses, other than coverage limited to expenses from accidents or specific diseases, shall notify the group policyholder when the policy is terminated and the coverage is not replaced by the group policyholder. The notice required under this subsection:
(a) Must be given on a form prescribed by the Department of Consumer and Business Services;
(b) Must explain the rights of the certificate holders regarding continuation of coverage provided by federal and state law and portability coverage in accordance with ORS 743.760; and
(c) Must be given by mail and must be mailed not later than 10 working days after the date on which the group policy terminates according to the terms of the policy.
(4) A group health insurance policy to which subsection (3) of this section applies shall contain a provision requiring the insurer to notify the group policyholder when the policy is terminated and the coverage is not replaced by the group policyholder. Each certificate issued under the policy shall also contain a statement of the provision required under this subsection.
(5) If an insurer fails to give notice as required by this section, the insurer shall continue the group health insurance policy of the group policyholder in full force from the date notice should have been provided until the date that the notice is received by the policyholder and shall waive the premiums owing for the period for which the coverage is continued under this subsection. The time period within which the certificate holder may exercise any right to continuation or portability shall commence on the date that the policyholder receives the notice.
(6) The insurer shall supply the employer holding the terminated policy with the necessary information for the employer to be able to notify properly the employee of the employee’s right to continuation of coverage under state and federal law and portability coverage in accordance with ORS 743.760. [1991 c.673 §§3,4; 1993 c.454 §1; 1997 c.716 §24; 2001 c.943 §11]
Section: Previous 743.550 743.552 743.555 743.556 743.557 743.558 743.559 743.560 743.561 743.562 743.564 743.565 743.566 743.567 743.570 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008