(A) The superintendent of insurance shall examine the application made under section 1739.03 of the Revised Code to determine whether the multiple employer welfare arrangement will be able to comply with sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code and any rules adopted pursuant to those sections. If the superintendent finds that the arrangement is capable of complying with such sections, he shall issue a certificate of authority authorizing the arrangement to operate in this state.

(B) The superintendent shall approve or disapprove an application for a certificate of authority within ninety days after his receipt of the application and all of the supporting information he has requested.

(C) The superintendent may refuse to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke the certificate of authority of any multiple employer welfare arrangement, if he finds that any of the following apply:

(1) The arrangement or its third-party administrator has failed, or will be unable, to comply with the applicable provisions of sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code.

(2) The arrangement or its third-party administrator is, or will be, fraudulently operated, including misrepresentation by omission or otherwise.

(3) The arrangement or its third-party administrator is in such condition as to render further operations of the arrangement hazardous to the public interest or to the interest of the members and their employees.

(4) The arrangement is financially unable to meet its obligations and claims as they occur, or its third-party administrator is financially unable to meet its obligations.

(5) The arrangement or its third-party administrator has failed to file any report required under section 1739.09 of the Revised Code.

(D) If the superintendent refuses to issue or renew, or suspends or revokes a certificate of authority, he shall issue an order setting forth the reasons for refusal, suspension, or revocation and forward it to the multiple employer welfare arrangement. Any refusal, suspension, or revocation under this division does not affect the liability of the arrangement or its members for claims incurred prior to the date of the refusal, suspension, or revocation.

(E) Subject to the superintendent's review, any certificate of authority issued by the superintendent under this section shall be renewed annually, effective on the first day of January, upon payment by the multiple employer welfare arrangement of an annual fee of one thousand dollars. All fees collected under this division shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the department of insurance operating fund created under section 3901.021 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 04-09-1993 .