(1) Following receipt of an application filed pursuant to s. 636.008, the office shall review such application and notify the applicant of any deficiencies contained therein. The office shall issue a certificate of authority to an applicant who has filed a completed application in conformity with s. 636.008, upon payment of the fees specified by s. 636.057 and upon the office being satisfied that the following conditions are met:

(a) The requirements of s. 636.008 have been fulfilled.

(b) The entity is actuarially sound.

(c) The entity has met the applicable minimum surplus requirements specified in s. 636.045.

(d) The procedures for offering limited health services and offering and terminating contracts to subscribers will not unfairly discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, handicap, health, or economic status. However, this paragraph does not prohibit reasonable underwriting classifications for the purposes of establishing contract rates, nor does it prohibit prospective experience rating.

(e) The entity furnished evidence of adequate insurance coverage, including, but not limited to, general liability or professional liability coverage, or an adequate plan for self-insurance to respond to claims for injuries arising out of the furnishing covered services.

(f) The ownership, control, and management of the entity are competent and trustworthy and possess managerial experience that would make the proposed operation beneficial to the subscribers. The office shall not grant or continue authority to transact the business of a prepaid limited health service organization in this state at any time during which the office has good reason to believe that the ownership, control, or management of the organization includes any person whose business operations are or have been marked by business practices or conduct that is to the detriment of the public, stockholders, investors, or creditors.

(g) The entity has demonstrated compliance with s. 636.047 by obtaining a blanket fidelity bond in the amount of at least $50,000, issued by a licensed insurance carrier in this state, that will reimburse the entity in the event that anyone handling the funds of the entity either misappropriates or absconds with the funds. All employees handling the funds must be covered by the blanket fidelity bond. However, the fidelity bond need not cover an individual who owns 100 percent of the stock of the organization if such stockholder maintains total control of the organization’s financial assets, books and records, and fidelity bond coverage is not available for such individual. An agent licensed under the provisions of the Florida Insurance Code may, either directly or indirectly, represent the prepaid limited health service organization in the solicitation, negotiation, effectuation, procurement, receipt, delivery, or forwarding of any subscriber’s contract, or collect or forward any consideration paid by the subscriber to the prepaid limited health service organization. The licensed agent shall not be required to post the bond required by this subsection.

(h) The prepaid limited health service organization has a grievance procedure that will facilitate the resolution of subscriber grievances and that includes both formal and informal steps available within the organization.

(i) The applicant is financially responsible and may reasonably be expected to meet its obligations to enrollees and to prospective enrollees. In making this determination, the office may consider:

1. The financial soundness of the applicant’s arrangements for limited health services and the minimum standard rates, deductibles, copayments, and other patient charges used in connection therewith.

2. The adequacy of surplus, other sources of funding, and provisions for contingencies.

3. The manner in which the requirements of s. 636.046 have been fulfilled.

(j) The agreements with providers for the provision of limited health services contain the provisions required by s. 636.035.

(k) Any deficiencies identified by the office have been corrected.

(l) All requirements of this chapter have been met.

(2) If the certificate of authority is denied, the office shall notify the applicant and shall specify the reasons for denial in the notice.

History.—s. 8, ch. 93-148; s. 1527, ch. 2003-261.