A. Except as provided in this section, a health insurance issuer that provides individual health insurance coverage shall renew or continue in force such coverage at the option of the individual.

B. A health insurance issuer may nonrenew or discontinue health insurance coverage of an individual in the individual market based on one or more of the following:

1. The individual has failed to pay premiums or contributions in accordance with the terms of the health insurance coverage or the issuer has not received timely premium payments;

2. The individual has performed an act or practice that constitutes fraud or made an intentional misrepresentation of material fact under the terms of the coverage;

3. The issuer is ceasing to offer coverage in the individual market in accordance with subsection C and applicable state law;

4. In the case of a health insurance issuer that offers health insurance coverage in the individual market through a network plan, the individual no longer resides, lives, or works in the service area, or in an area for which the health insurance issuer is authorized to do business but only if such coverage is terminated under this section uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of covered individuals; or

5. In the case of health insurance coverage that is made available in the individual market only through one or more bona fide associations, the membership of the individual in the association (on the basis of which the coverage is provided) ceases but only if such coverage is terminated under this section uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of covered individuals.

C. Requirements for uniform termination of coverage.

1. In any case in which a health insurance issuer decides to discontinue offering a particular type of health insurance coverage offered in the individual market, coverage of such type may be discontinued by the health insurance issuer only if:

a. The health insurance issuer provides notice to each covered individual provided coverage of this type in such market of such discontinuation at least ninety days prior to the date of the discontinuation of such coverage;

b. The health insurance issuer offers to each individual in the individual market provided coverage of this type, the option to purchase any other individual health insurance coverage currently being offered by the health insurance issuer for individuals in such market; and

c. In exercising the option to discontinue coverage of this type and in offering the option of coverage under subdivision 1 b of this subsection, the health insurance issuer acts uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of enrolled individuals or individuals who may become eligible for such coverage.

2. Discontinuance of all coverage.

a. Subject to subdivision 1 c of this subsection, in any case in which a health insurance issuer elects to discontinue offering all health insurance coverage in the individual market in the Commonwealth, health insurance coverage may be discontinued by the health insurance issuer only if: (i) the health insurance issuer provides notice to the Commission and to each individual of such discontinuation at least 180 days prior to the date of the expiration of such coverage, and (ii) all health insurance issued or delivered for issuance in this Commonwealth in such market is discontinued and coverage under such health insurance coverage in such market is not renewed.

b. In the case of discontinuation under subdivision 2 a of this subsection in the individual market, the health insurance issuer may not provide for the issuance of any health insurance coverage in the individual market in this Commonwealth during the five-year period beginning on the date of the discontinuation of the last health insurance coverage not so renewed.

D. At the time of coverage renewal, a health insurance issuer may modify the health insurance coverage for a policy form offered to individuals in the individual market so long as such modification is consistent with the laws of this Commonwealth and effective on a uniform basis among all individuals with that policy form.

E. In applying this section in the case of health insurance coverage that is made available by health insurance issuers in the individual market to individuals only through one or more associations, a reference to an "individual" is deemed to include a reference to such an association of which the individual is a member.

1997, cc. 807, 913.