§1098. Frequency of rate increases; limitations

A. The following rate increase limitations shall apply to all health benefit plans, limited benefits, and excepted benefits:

(1) Health insurance issuers of limited benefits and excepted benefits policies shall not increase rates during the initial twelve months of coverage, and may not do so more than once in any six-month period following the initial twelve-month period.

(2) Health insurance issuers shall not increase rates for policies or plans in the individual market during the plan year. Rate increases for policies or plans in the individual market may occur only upon renewal or upon commencement of the policy or plan year.

(3) Rates for policies or plans in the small group market shall not increase during the initial twelve months of coverage.

B. No health insurance issuer issuing policies or subscriber agreements shall increase its rates or reduce the covered benefits under the policy or subscriber agreement after the commencement of the minimum one-hundred-eighty-day period following the notice of the discontinuation of offering all health insurance coverage as described in R.S. 22:1068(C)(2)(a)(i) or 1074(C)(2)(a)(i).

C. This Section shall not affect increases in the premium amount due to any change required for compliance with the addition of a newly covered person or policy benefit level, or such changes necessary to comply with R.S. 22:1095 or other state or federal law, regulation, or rule.

Acts 2014, No. 718, §1, eff. June 18, 2014.