17:48C-18 Written group contracts; statements.

18. Every group contract entered into by a dental service corporation with any policyholder shall be in writing and a contract form stating the terms and conditions thereof shall be furnished to the policyholder to be kept by him. No group contract form shall be used unless it contains the following provisions:

(a) A statement of the contract rate payable to the dental service corporation for the original period of coverage, the time or times at which, the manner in which, the contract rate due is to be paid, and the basis, if any, on which the rate may subsequently be adjusted;

(b) A provision that all contract rates due under the contract shall be paid to the dental service corporation on or before the due date thereof or within such period of grace as may be specified therein;

(c) A statement of the nature of the dental services to be paid for and the period during which such payments will be made, and if there are any services to be excepted, a detailed statement of such exceptions;

(d) A provision that the contract, any endorsements or riders thereto, the application of the policyholder in whose name the contract is issued, a copy of which shall be attached to the contract, and the individual applications, if any, of the employees or members shall constitute the entire contract between the parties and that all statements contained in any such application for coverage shall be deemed representations and not warranties;

(e) A provision that there shall be issued to the policyholder, for delivery to the employee or member, a certificate or other document which sets forth or summarizes the essential features of the coverage including the time, place and method for making claims for benefits;

(f) A provision that all new employees or new members, as the case may be, in the groups or classes eligible for the coverage must be added to the eligible groups or classes;

(g) A statement of the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the contract may be terminated or amended. Any notice to the policyholder shall be effective if sent by mail to the policyholder's address as shown at the time on the corporation's records. The notice to the policyholder as herein required shall be sent at least 30 days before the termination or amendment of the contract takes effect.

Any such group contract may contain a provision that all dental services paid for by a dental service corporation shall be in accordance with the accepted dental practices in the community at the time, but the corporation shall not be liable for injuries resulting from negligence, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance or malpractice on the part of any officer or employee or on the part of any dentist or others engaged by him in the course of rendering dental services to persons covered.

Any dental service corporation may classify persons covered whereby under specified circumstances a covered person may pay a participating dentist for dental services an amount in addition to that payable by the corporation for dental services and the group contract shall contain the provisions thereof and specify such circumstances.

L.1968, c.305, s.18; amended 2015, c.148, s.7.