2007-2008 Regulatory Agendas
02-031
Bureau of Insurance
AGENCY UMBRELLA-UNIT NUMBER: 02-031
AGENCY NAME: Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance
CONTACT PERSON: Thomas M. Record, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney, 34 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0034. Tel: (207) 624-8424
EMERGENCY RULES ADOPTED SINCE THE LAST REGULATORY AGENDA: None
CONSENSUS-BASED RULE DEVELOPMENT: A consensus-based rule development within the meaning of 1999 P.L. c. 307 is being used in formulating proposed amendments to Rule Chapter 850, Health Plan Accountability.
EXPECTED 2007-2008 RULEMAKING ACTIVITY:
Worker’s Compensation Insurance
CHAPTER 250: Workers' Compensation Self-Insurance
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §212 and 39-A MRSA §403
PURPOSE: to amend current rule to reflect a recent statutory change relating to the working capital offset provision for security calculations and other changes necessary to reflect current business practices.
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Fall 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: workers' compensation self-insurers
CHAPTER 560: Workers' Compensation Insurance - Employee Leasing
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 2178, 2364, 2366; 32 MRSA §14055
PURPOSE: to implement revisions to the NAIC Model Rule on workers' compensation insurance provided with respect to employee leasing arrangements
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Late 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: workers' compensation insurers, professional employee organizations
Property and Casualty Insurance: None
Health Insurance
CHAPTER 420: Nursing Home Care Insurance and Long Term Care Insurance
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 5052, 5053 and 5078
PURPOSE: to make amendments necessary to accommodate federal standards regarding long term care partnerships and to facilitate rate stability
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: pending
AFFECTED PARTIES: long term care insurers and customers
CHAPTER 425: Long Term Care Insurance
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24 MRSA §§ 2316 and 2321 and by 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 2412, 2413, 2414, 2736, 5071, 5072, 5073, 5074, 5075, 5077, 5078 and 5080
PURPOSE: to make amendments necessary to accommodate federal standards regarding long term care partnerships
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: pending
AFFECTED PARTIES: long term care insurers and customers
CHAPTER 490: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Medical and Lifestyle Standards
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 5 MRSA §19203-A, 24 MRSA §2316, 24-A MRSA §212, 24-A MRSA §2151-8, 24-A MRSA §2152, 24-A MRSA §2159, and 24-A MRSA §2412
PURPOSE: to update current rule to reflect 2007 PL c. 93
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer-Fall 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: life and health insurers and applicants for coverage
CHAPTER 600: Screening Mammography
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24 MRSA §2320-A and 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 2745-A, 2837-A, and § 4237-A
PURPOSE: to update current rule to reflect 2007 PL c. 153
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: health insurers, HMOs and their female customers
CHAPTER 750: Standardized Health Plans
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24 MRSA Chapter 19, and 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 2736C(6)(F), 2736-C(8), 4222-A, and 4222-8
PURPOSE: to redesign standards for HMO plans in order to increase plan viability
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer-Fall 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: HMOs
CHAPTER 850: Health Plan Accountability
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 2772, 2774, 4218, 4222-A, 4303 and 4309
PURPOSE: to implement the results of the consensus-based process conducted to consider proposed alterations to the Access to Services section (Sec. 7) of the current Rule
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: pending
AFFECTED PARTIES: health insurers, HMOs, health insurance policyholders and covered persons
CHAPTER 945: Annual Report Supplement for Health Insurers
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212 and 423-D
PURPOSE: to amend the rule to allow data collection regarding how many newly insured enrolled individuals and groups were previously uninsured for the previous 90 days
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Late 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: health insurers, HMOs
Life Insurance
CHAPTER 340: Mortality Tables for Use in Determining Minimum Reserves and Nonforfeiture Benefits
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 953 and 2532-A
PURPOSE: to provide specific reserve standards applicable to credit life insurance as provided for by NAIC Model Regulation
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer-Fall 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: credit life insurers
NEW RULE: Annuity Nonforfeiture
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212 and 2544
PURPOSE: to adopt nationally uniform standards relating to minimum nonforfeiture values in individual deferred annuities
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: life insurers
NEW RULE: Military Life Insurance Sales
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212 and 2151-B
PURPOSE: to protect armed services personnel from inappropriate life insurance sales practices consistent with NAIC and federal initiatives
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: life insurers and producers who solicit coverage on military installations and to active duty military personnel
NEW RULE: Life Insurance; Notice of Cancellation
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212 and 2556
PURPOSE: to implement the provisions of 2007 PL c. 40 which relates to notices of cancellation of individual life insurance policies
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Winter 2007-08
AFFECTED PARTIES: life insurers and their individual policyholders
Miscellaneous
CHAPTER 160: Eligible Surplus Lines Insurers
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §212 and Chapter 19
PURPOSE: to update process for applying for surplus lines authority
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Summer 2008
AFFECTED PARTIES: surplus lines insurers
CHAPTER 630: Rural Medical Access Program
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §§ 212, 229(1) and 6311
PURPOSE: to reflect statutory changes enacted by 2005 PL c. 122
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Fall 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: physicians, Medical Mutual Insurance Company
CHAPTER 740: Credit for Reinsurance
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 24-A MRSA §731-B
PURPOSE: to modernize and conform to NAIC initiatives
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: Late 2007
AFFECTED PARTIES: insurers
