Rhode Island § 27-67-4 - The Health Insurance Market Expansion Act

§ 27-67-4. Establishment of regional health insurance market.

The health insurance commissioner shall undertake a review of the existing laws and regulations pertaining to the business of health insurance in this state, and in other New England states. On or before March 1, 2009, the health insurance commissioner shall submit a report to the general assembly on what changes would be necessary to the laws and/or regulations of Rhode Island in order to meet the goal of enabling health insurers licensed in other New England states to do business in Rhode Island without a separate application for licensure in Rhode Island. The report shall address the policy implications of implementing the identified changes in law and regulations, and the potential advantages and disadvantages of creating a regional health insurance market.

The report shall further address the extent to which licensure is a barrier to bringing other health insurers into the Rhode Island market. The report shall further address the manner in which licensure can be automatically granted to those insurers licensed in other New England states while still requiring that such insurers otherwise remain bound by the non-licensure related laws and regulations governing the administration of health insurance benefit plans in Rhode Island. The report shall include an analysis of barriers to the creation of a regional health insurance market and a proposed timeline for implementing all changes that would be needed to establish a regional health insurance market.