§33-25A-14a. Other prohibited practices.

(a) No health maintenance organization may cancel or fail to renew the coverage of an enrollee except for: (1) Failure to pay the charge for health care coverage; (2) termination of the health maintenance organization; (3) termination of the group plan; (4) enrollee moving out of the area served; (5) enrollee moving out of an eligible group; or (6) other reasons established in rules promulgated by the Commissioner. No health maintenance organization shall use any technique of rating or grouping to cancel or fail to renew the coverage of an enrollee. An enrollee shall be given thirty days' notice of any cancellation or nonrenewal and the notice shall include the reasons for the cancellation or nonrenewal: Provided, That each enrollee moving out of an eligible group shall be granted the opportunity to enroll in the health maintenance organization on an individual basis. A health maintenance organization may not disenroll an enrollee for nonpayment of copayments unless the enrollee has failed to make payment in at least three instances over any twelve-month period: Provided, however, That the enrollee may not be disenrolled if the disenrollment would constitute abandonment of a patient. Any enrollee wrongfully disenrolled shall be reenrolled.

(b) The providers of a health maintenance organization who provide health care services and the health maintenance organization shall not have recourse against enrollees for amounts above those specified in the evidence of coverage as the periodic prepayment or copayment for health care services.

(c) No health maintenance organization shall enroll more than three hundred thousand persons in this state: Provided, That a health maintenance organization may petition the Commissioner to exceed an enrollment of three hundred thousand persons and, upon notice and hearing, good cause being shown and a determination made that an increase would be beneficial to the subscribers, creditors and stockholders of the organization or would otherwise increase the availability of coverage to consumers within the state, the Commissioner may, by written order only, allow the petitioning organization to exceed an enrollment of three hundred thousand persons.

(d) No health maintenance organization shall discriminate in enrollment policies or quality of services against any person on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, place of residence, source of payment or, with respect to enrollment in group policies, health status: Provided, That differences in rates based on valid actuarial distinctions, including distinctions relating to age and sex, shall not be considered discrimination in enrollment policies.

(e) Any person who, in connection with an enrollment, violates any provision of this section may be held liable for an amount equivalent to one year's subscription rate, plus costs and a reasonable attorney's fee.