(1) As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Enrollment date” means, with respect to an individual covered under a group health policy, the date of enrollment of the individual in the plan or coverage or, if earlier, the first day of the waiting period of such enrollment.

(b) “Late enrollee” means, with respect to coverage under a group health policy, a participant or beneficiary who enrolls under the policy other than during:

1. The first period in which the individual is eligible to enroll under the policy.

2. A special enrollment period, as provided under s. 627.65615.

(c) “Waiting period” means, with respect to a group health policy and an individual who is a potential participant or beneficiary of the policy, the period that must pass with respect to the individual before the individual is eligible to be covered for benefits under the terms of the policy.

(2) Subject to the exceptions specified in subsection (4), an insurer that offers group health insurance coverage may, with respect to a participant or beneficiary, impose a preexisting condition exclusion only if:

(a) Such exclusion relates to a physical or mental condition, regardless of the cause of the condition, for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received within the 6-month period ending on the enrollment date;

(b) Such exclusion extends for a period of not more than 12 months, or 18 months in the case of a late enrollee, after the enrollment date; and

(c) The period of any such preexisting condition exclusion is reduced by the aggregate of the periods of creditable coverage, as defined in s. 627.6562(3), applicable to the participant or beneficiary as of the enrollment date.

(3) Genetic information may not be treated as a condition described in paragraph (2)(a) in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to such information.

(4)(a) Subject to paragraph (b), an insurer that offers group health insurance coverage may not impose any preexisting condition exclusion in the case of:

1. An individual who, as of the last day of the 30-day period beginning with the date of birth, is covered under creditable coverage.

2. A child who is adopted or placed for adoption before attaining 18 years of age and who, as of the last day of the 30-day period beginning on the date of the adoption or placement for adoption, is covered under creditable coverage. This provision does not apply to coverage before the date of such adoption or placement for adoption.

3. Pregnancy.

(b) 1Subparagraphs 1. and 2. do not apply to an individual after the end of the first 63-day period during all of which the individual was not covered under any creditable coverage.

History.—s. 130, ch. 92-33; s. 2, ch. 95-364; s. 8, ch. 97-179; s. 1165, ch. 2003-261; s. 16, ch. 2016-194.

1Note.—Paragraph (b) is not divided into subparagraphs. The reference may be to subparagraphs (a)1. and (a)2.