Sec. 104.

(1) “Administrative procedures act” means the administrative procedures act of 1969, Act No. 306 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, being sections 24.201 to 24.328 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or a successor act.

(2) “Bargaining representative” means a representative designated or selected by a majority of employees for the purposes of collective bargaining in respect to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, or other conditions of employment relative to the employees represented.

(3) “Certificate” means a contract between a health care corporation and a subscriber or a group of subscribers under which health care benefits are provided to members. A certificate includes any approved riders amending the contract.

(4) “Collective bargaining agreement” means an agreement entered into between the employer and the bargaining representative of its employees, and includes those agreements entered into on behalf of groups of employers with the bargaining representative of their employees pursuant to the national labor relations act, chapter 372, 49 Stat. 449, 29 U.S.C. 151 to 158 and 159 to 169, under Act No. 176 of the Public Acts of 1939, as amended, being sections 423.1 to 423.30 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or under Act No. 336 of the Public Acts of 1947, as amended, being sections 423.201 to 423.216 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

(5) “Commissioner” means the commissioner of insurance. Commissioner includes an authorized designee of the commissioner, if written notice of the delegation of authority has been given as provided in section 601.

(6) “Contingency reserve” means the sum of all assets minus the sum of all liabilities of a health care corporation, as shown in the annual financial statement filed under section 602.

History: 1980, Act 350, Eff. Apr. 3, 1981 ;-- Am. 1993, Act 127, Imd. Eff. July 21, 1993 Constitutionality: This act is unconstitutional in the following three particulars:(1) The act's provision for an actuary panel to resolve risk factor disputes is an unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority in that it lacks adequate standards (MCL 550.1205(6)).(2) The statutory restrictions on administrative services only (ASO) contracts violate equal protection of the laws insofar as they result in arbitrary and discriminatory treatment of health care corporations vis-a-vis commercial insurers (MCL 550.1104(3), 550.1211, 550.1414a, 550.1415, and 550.1607(1)).(3) The commissioner's authority to issue a cease and desist order based on probable cause against a health care corporation for noncompliance with the act establishes an improper burden of proof (MCL 550.1402(7)).The Supreme Court ruling on these three areas of this act does not affect the constitutionality of the remainder of the act. Where, as here, the unconstitutional provisions are easily severable, the remainder of the act need not be affected. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan v Governor, 422 Mich 1; 367 NW2d 1 (1985).Popular Name: Blue Cross-Blue ShieldPopular Name: Act 350