§ 17A — Open enrollment for nongroup medicare beneficiaries; period, notice of termination

Section 17A. All health maintenance organizations governed by this chapter which enroll medicare beneficiaries shall provide open enrollment for nongroup medicare beneficiaries commencing on February first and ending March thirty-first of each year, for coverage to be effective not later than ninety days from the date of enrollment; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall preclude additional periods of open enrollment for medicare beneficiaries.The open enrollment period and coverage effective date for any group health maintenance organization contract covering medicare beneficiaries shall be the same as the open enrollment period of all other group health plan options offered by the employer, representative or group sponsor to the group's members who are eligible for medicare supplemental coverage.Any such health maintenance organization whose contract with medicare is being terminated shall give each resident of the commonwealth who is covered under a medicare program offered by such health maintenance organization and each nonprofit hospital service corporation and medical service corporation in the commonwealth sixty days notice prior to such termination. Any such health maintenance organization shall cooperate fully in the prompt transfer of coverage to any organization which will assume such coverage.