§ 24-A §4232 — Replacement coverage

1.
Group hospital, medical or surgical expenses, or service benefits.
Any insurer or nonprofit health insurance plan that issues replacement coverage with respect to group hospital, medical or surgical expenses or service benefits within a period of 60 days from the date of discontinuance of a prior health maintenance organization contract or policy providing the hospital, medical or surgical expenses or service benefits shall immediately cover all enrollees who were validly covered under the previous health maintenance organization contract or policy at the date of discontinuance and who would otherwise be eligible for coverage under the succeeding insurer's or nonprofit health insurance plan's contract, regardless of any provisions in that contract relating to active employment, hospital confinement or pregnancy.
2.
Preexisting conditions.
No provision in a succeeding insurer's or nonprofit hospital or medical service corporation's contract of replacement coverage may reduce or exclude benefits to enrollees covered under the prior health maintenance organization's contract on the date of discontinuance, on the basis that the condition giving rise to benefits preexisted the effective date of the succeeding contract, except to the extent that benefits for the condition would have been reduced or excluded under the prior contract.

Legislative History

PL 1989, c. 842, §18 (NEW).