1. A policy of group health insurance issued to replace any discontinued policy or coverage for group health insurance must:

(a) Provide coverage for all persons who were covered under the previous policy or coverage on the date it was discontinued; and

(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, provide benefits which are at least as extensive as the benefits provided by the previous policy or coverage, except that benefits may be reduced or excluded to the extent that such a reduction or exclusion was permissible under the terms of the previous policy or coverage,

if that replacement policy is issued within 60 days after the date on which the previous policy or coverage was discontinued.

2. If an employer obtains a replacement policy pursuant to subsection 1 to cover the employees of the employer, any benefits provided by the previous policy or coverage may be reduced if notice of the reduction is given to the employees of the employer pursuant to NRS 608.1577.

3. Any insurer which issues a replacement policy pursuant to subsection 1 may submit a written request to the insurer who provided the previous policy or coverage for a statement of benefits which were provided under that policy or coverage. Upon receiving such a request, the insurer who provided the previous policy or coverage shall give a written statement to the insurer providing the replacement policy which indicates what benefits were provided and what exclusions or reductions were in effect under the previous policy or coverage.

4. The provisions of this section:

(a) Apply to a self-insured employer who provides health benefits to the employees of the employer and replaces those benefits with a policy of group health insurance.

(b) Do not apply to the Public Employees’ Benefits Program established pursuant to NRS 287.0402 to 287.049, inclusive.

(Added to NRS by 1987, 849; A 1991, 251; 1999, 3042)