§ 27-50-8. Certification of creditable coverage.
(a) Small employer carriers shall provide written certification of creditable coverage
to individuals in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(b) The certification of creditable coverage shall be provided:
(1) At the time an individual ceases to be covered under the health benefit plan or otherwise
becomes covered under a COBRA continuation provision;
(2) In the case of an individual who becomes covered under a COBRA continuation provision,
at the time the individual ceases to be covered under that provision; and
(3) At the time a request is made on behalf of an individual if the request is made not
later than twenty-four (24) months after the date of cessation of coverage described
in subsection (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section, whichever is later.
(c) Small employer carriers may provide the certification of creditable coverage required
under subsection (b)(1) of this section at a time consistent with notices required
under any applicable COBRA continuation provision.
(d) The certificate of creditable coverage required to be provided pursuant to subsection
(a) shall contain:
(1) Written certification of the period of creditable coverage of the individual under
the health benefit plan and the coverage, if any, under the applicable COBRA continuation
provision; and
(2) The waiting period, if any, and, if applicable, affiliation period imposed with respect
to the individual for any coverage under the health benefit plan.
(e) To the extent medical care under a group health plan consists of group health insurance
coverage, the plan is deemed to have satisfied the certification requirement under
subsection (a) of this section if the carrier offering the coverage provides for certification
in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(f)(1) If an individual enrolls in a group health plan that uses the alternative method of
counting creditable coverage pursuant to § 27-50-7(c)(3) and the individual provides a certificate of coverage that was provided to the individual
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, on request of the group health plan, the
entity that issued the certification to the individual promptly shall disclose to
the group health plan information on the classes and categories of health benefits
available under the entity's health benefit plan.
(2) The entity providing the information pursuant to subsection (f)(1) of this section
may charge the requesting group health plan the reasonable cost of disclosing the
information.