A. Every health insurance issuer that offers health insurance coverage in the group market in this Commonwealth shall renew or continue in force such coverage with respect to all insureds at the option of the employer except:

1. For nonpayment of the required premiums by the policyholder, or contract holder, or where the health insurance issuer has not received timely premium payments;

2. When the health insurance issuer is ceasing to offer coverage in the small group market in accordance with subdivisions 9 and 10;

3. For fraud or misrepresentation by the employer, with respect to their coverage;

4. With regard to coverage provided to an eligible employee, for fraud or misrepresentation by the employee with regard to his or her coverage;

5. For failure to comply with contribution and participation requirements defined by the health benefit plan;

6. For failure to comply with health benefit plan provisions that have been approved by the Commission;

7. When a health insurance issuer offers health insurance coverage in the group market through a network plan, and there is no longer an enrollee in connection with such plan who lives, resides, or works in the service area of the health insurance issuer (or in the area for which the health insurance issuer is authorized to do business) and, in the case of the group market, the health insurance issuer would deny enrollment with respect to such plan under the provisions of subdivision 9 or 10;

8. When health insurance coverage is made available in the group market only through one or more bona fide associations, the membership of an employer in the association (on the basis of which the coverage is provided) ceases but only if such coverage is terminated under this subdivision uniformly without regard to any health status related factor relating to any covered individual;

9. When a health insurance issuer decides to discontinue offering a particular type of group health insurance coverage in the group market in this Commonwealth, coverage of such type may be discontinued by the health insurance issuer in accordance with the laws of this Commonwealth in such market only if (i) the health insurance issuer provides notice to each plan sponsor provided coverage of this type in such market (and participants and beneficiaries covered under such coverage) of such discontinuation at least ninety days prior to the date of the discontinuation of such coverage; (ii) the health insurance issuer offers to each plan sponsor provided coverage of this type in such market, the option to purchase any other health insurance coverage currently being offered by the health insurance issuer to a group health plan in such market; and (iii) in exercising the option to discontinue coverage of this type and in offering the option of coverage under this subdivision, the health insurance issuer acts uniformly without regard to the claims experience of those sponsors or any health status-related factor relating to any participants or beneficiaries covered or new participants or beneficiaries who may become eligible for such coverage;

10. In any case in which a health insurance issuer elects to discontinue offering all health insurance coverage in the group market in this Commonwealth, health insurance coverage may be discontinued by the health insurance issuer only in accordance with the laws of this Commonwealth and if: (i) the health insurance issuer provides notice to the Commission and to each plan sponsor (and participants and beneficiaries covered under such coverage) of such discontinuation at least 180 days prior to the date of the discontinuation of such coverage; and (ii) all health insurance issued or delivered for issuance in this Commonwealth in such market (or markets) are discontinued and coverage under such health insurance coverage in such market (or markets) is not renewed;

11. In the case of a discontinuation under subdivision 10 of this subsection in a market, the health insurance issuer may not provide for the issuance of any health insurance coverage in the market and this Commonwealth during the five-year period beginning on the date of the discontinuation of the last health insurance coverage not so renewed;

12. At the time of coverage renewal, a health insurance issuer may modify the health insurance coverage for a product offered to a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage in the group market if, for coverage that is available in such market other than only through one or more bona fide associations, such modification is consistent with the laws of this Commonwealth and effective on a uniform basis among group health plans or health insurance issuers offering group health insurance coverage with that product; or

13. In applying this section in the case of health insurance coverage that is made available by a health insurance issuer in the group market to employers only through one or more associations, a reference to "plan sponsor" is deemed, with respect to coverage provided to an employer member of the association, to include a reference to such employer.

B. If coverage to the small employer market pursuant to this article ceases to be written, administered or otherwise provided, such coverage shall continue to be governed by this article with respect to business conducted under this article that was transacted prior to the effective date of termination and that remains in force.

1997, cc. 807, 913; 1998, c. 24; 2013, c. 751.