(a) (1) On or before April 1, 1975, the commissioner shall promulgate a standard supplemental disclosure form for all disability insurance policies. Upon the appropriate disclosure form as prescribed by the commissioner, each insurer shall provide, in easily understood language and in a uniform, clearly organized manner, as prescribed and required by the commissioner, the summary information about each disability insurance policy offered by the insurer as the commissioner finds is necessary to provide for full and fair disclosure of the provisions of the policy.

(2) On and after January 1, 2014, a disability insurer offering health insurance coverage subject to Section 2715 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-15) shall satisfy the requirements of this section and the implementing regulations by providing the uniform summary of benefits and coverage required under Section 2715 of the federal Public Health Service Act and any rules or regulations issued thereunder. An insurer that issues the federal uniform summary of benefits referenced in this paragraph shall ensure that all applicable disclosures required in this chapter and its implementing regulations are met in other documents provided to policyholders and insureds. An insurer subject to this paragraph shall provide the uniform summary of benefits and coverage to the commissioner together with the corresponding health insurance policy pursuant to Section 10290.

(3) Commencing October 1, 2016, the uniform summary of benefits and coverage referenced in this subdivision shall constitute a vital document for the purposes of Section 10133.8. Not later than July 1, 2016, the commissioner shall develop written translations of the template uniform summary of benefits and coverage for all language groups identified by the State Department of Health Care Services in all plan letters as of August 27, 2014, for translation services pursuant to Section 14029.91 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, except for any language group for which the United States Department of Labor has already prepared a written translation. Not later than July 1, 2016, the commissioner shall make available on the department’s Internet Web site written translations of the template uniform summary of benefits and coverage developed by the commissioner, and written translations prepared by the United States Department of Labor, if available, for any language group to which this subparagraph applies.

(b) This section does not preclude the disclosure form from being included with the evidence of coverage or certificate of coverage or policy.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 212. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.)