South Carolina § 38-33-130 - Security deposit; individual stop-loss coverage; provisions for unpaid claim liability; individual conversion policy.

§ 38-33-130. Security deposit; individual stop-loss coverage; provisions for unpaid claim liability; individual conversion policy.

(A) Each health maintenance organization shall deposit and maintain with the department cash or securities which qualify as legal investments under the laws of this State for public sinking funds in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars. The director or his designee may require a health maintenance organization to make deposits in excess of the amount specified in this section if in his opinion the additional deposits are necessary for the protection of enrollees and the public. All income from deposits must belong to the depositing organization and must be paid to it as it becomes available. A health maintenance organization that has made a security deposit may withdraw that deposit or part of it after making a substitute deposit of cash, securities, or a combination of these of equal amount and value. Securities must be approved by the director or his designee before being substituted. The return of cash or securities deposited with the department by a health maintenance organization pursuant to this section is governed by Section 38-9-150.

(B) Each health maintenance organization shall require every provider who participates in the health maintenance organization and furnishes health care services to the health maintenance organization's enrollees to execute an agreement not to bill the enrollees or otherwise hold the enrollees financially responsible for services rendered. Provided, an employing entity may execute one agreement on behalf of the employing entity and all of its providers. An employing entity may also execute one participation agreement and one of other similar required forms on behalf of the employing entity and all of its providers. The provider's agreement must be given on forms prescribed or approved by the director or his designee, shall extend to all services furnished to the enrollee during the time he was enrolled in the health maintenance organization, and shall apply even where the provider or employing entity had not been paid by the health maintenance organization.

(C) A health maintenance organization shall procure and maintain a policy of individual excess stop-loss coverage provided by an insurance company licensed by the State. The policy also must include provisions to cover all incurred, unpaid claim liability in the event of the termination of the health maintenance organization due to insolvency or otherwise. In addition, the director or his designee may require that the policy provide that the insurer will issue an individual policy to an enrollee upon termination of the health maintenance organization or the ineligibility of the enrollee for further coverage in the health maintenance organization.

HISTORY: Enacted as 1976 Code SECTION 38-25-130 by 1987 Act No. 83, SECTION 1; recodified as SECTION 38-33-130 by 1987 Act No. 155, SECTION 24; 1988 Act No. 622, SECTION 3; 1992 Act No. 280, SECTION 3; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 633; 1999 Act No. 98, SECTION 4; 2012 Act No. 137, SECTION 6, eff April 2, 2012.