§ 26:2J-43 — Filing of contract or related form

25. a. Except as otherwise provided in P.L.1992, c.161 (C.17B:27A-2 et seq.) and P.L.1992, c.162 (C.17B:27A-17 et seq.), any health maintenance organization contract or evidence of coverage or related form subject to the provisions of P.L.1973, c.337 (C.26:2J-1 et seq.), including any application, rider, or endorsement which is made a part of those contracts or evidences of coverage shall be filed with the Commissioner of Insurance for approval as provided in this section. Any such contract or evidence of coverage, and any related form, except those certified pursuant to section 26 of this act, shall be filed with the Commissioner of Insurance for approval pursuant to this section. b. Any contract, evidence of coverage or related form filed with the Commissioner of Insurance for approval pursuant to this section shall be deemed approved upon the expiration of 60 days after the submission of the form unless disapproved in writing by the Commissioner of Insurance within that time. Any such disapproval shall be based only on the specific provisions of applicable statutes, regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Insurance, or guidelines published by the Commissioner of Insurance as of the effective date of this act, with regard to forms of that type. A disapproved contract, evidence of coverage or related form may be resubmitted. c. Any contract, evidence of coverage or related form filed for approval pursuant to this section and disapproved by the Commissioner of Insurance before the expiration of 60 days after its submission shall be deemed withdrawn at the expiration of 60 days after the transmittal of the specific objections of the Commissioner of Insurance unless the filer submits a complete written response to all of the objections of the Commissioner of Insurance within the 60 day period. d. A contract, evidence of coverage or related form, resubmitted in response to the objections of the Commissioner of Insurance pursuant to subsection b. of this section, shall be deemed approved upon the expiration of 30 days after its resubmission unless disapproved in writing by the Commissioner of Insurance within that time. No disapproval by the Commissioner of Insurance of a resubmission shall be based on any objection not specified by the Commissioner of Insurance in the initial disapproval of the filing, except that the Commissioner of Insurance may disapprove that form based upon any new provisions introduced in the resubmission or if in addressing the specified objections cited in the disapproval transmission of the Commissioner of Insurance, the health maintenance organization changes or modifies any substantive provisions of the form. Any form resubmitted for approval pursuant to this section and disapproved by the Commissioner of Insurance before the expiration of 30 days after its submission shall be deemed withdrawn at the expiration of 30 days after the transmittal of the specific objections of the Commissioner of Insurance, unless the filer submits a complete written response to all of the objections of the Commissioner of Insurance regarding the submission within the 30 day period. e. With respect to all types of contracts, evidences of coverage or related forms required to be filed pursuant to this section and currently on file with and approved by the Commissioner of Insurance upon enactment of this act, the Commissioner of Insurance shall propose regulations, which may be amended or modified by the Commissioner of Insurance from time to time after adoption, concerning any actuarial or form requirements consistent with applicable statutory provisions but not specified therein, not later than 180 days after enactment of this act. Any such regulation shall be adopted not later than 180 days after it is proposed. With respect to any type of form not then on file with the Commissioner of Insurance but filed subsequent to enactment of this act, the Commissioner of Insurance shall propose regulations, which may be amended or modified by the Commissioner of Insurance from time to time after adoption, concerning any actuarial or form requirements consistent with applicable statutory provisions but not specified therein within 120 days after the form is approved or deemed approved by the Commissioner of Insurance pursuant to this section. Any such regulation shall be adopted not later than 180 days after it is proposed. The Commissioner of Insurance may issue bulletins which are interpretive of existing regulations consistent with statutory provisions, with respect to any type of contract or evidence of coverage form that may be certified pursuant to section 26 of this act. Nothing in this section shall preclude a health maintenance organization from filing a certifiable contract or evidence of coverage or related form for approval by the Commissioner of Insurance. f. Any such form which is filed with the Commissioner of Insurance or deemed filed may be so delivered or issued for delivery until such time as any subsequent withdrawal of the filing by the Commissioner of Insurance, following an opportunity for a hearing held in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) and any rules adopted thereunder, becomes final in accordance therewith. g. For purposes of this section: "days" means calendar days, except that when the last day of any specified time period is a Saturday, Sunday, or State holiday, then the time period shall end on the next following business day. With respect to any specified time period pertaining to correspondence between a health maintenance organization and the Commissioner of Insurance, the time period shall commence on the date that such correspondence is postmarked or submitted to a private delivery service. h. The Commissioner of Insurance, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section. L.1995,c.73,s.25.