South Carolina § 38-33-140 - Advertisements; application of provisions relating to trade practices; use of term "insurer" or "health maintenance organization".

§ 38-33-140. Advertisements; application of provisions relating to trade practices; use of term "insurer" or "health maintenance organization".

(A) No health maintenance organization, or representative thereof, may cause or knowingly permit the use of advertising which is untrue or misleading, solicitation which is untrue or misleading, or any form of evidence of coverage which is deceptive. For purposes of this chapter:

(1) A statement or item of information is considered to be untrue if it does not conform to fact in any respect which is significant to a reasonable person enrolled in, or considering enrollment with, a health maintenance organization.

(2) A statement or item of information is considered to be misleading, whether or not it may be literally untrue, if, in the total context in which the statement is made or the item of information is communicated, the statement or item of information may be reasonably understood by a reasonable person, not possessing special knowledge regarding health care coverage, as indicating any benefit or advantage or the absence of any exclusion, limitation, or disadvantage of possible significance to an enrollee of, or person considering enrollment in a health maintenance organization if the benefit or advantage or absence of limitation, exclusion, or disadvantage does not in fact exist.

(3) An evidence of coverage is considered to be deceptive if the evidence of coverage taken as a whole, and with consideration given to typography and format, as well as language, causes a reasonable person, not possessing special knowledge regarding health maintenance organizations and evidences of coverage therefor, to expect benefits, services, charges, or other advantages which the evidence of coverage does not provide or which the health maintenance organization issuing the evidence of coverage does not regularly make available for enrollees covered under such evidence of coverage.

(B) Chapter 57, Title 38 is construed to apply to health maintenance organizations and evidences of coverage except to the extent that the director or his designee determines that the nature of health maintenance organizations and evidences of coverage render such sections clearly inappropriate.

(C) A health maintenance organization may not cancel or refuse to renew an enrollee, except for reasons stated in the organization's regulations applicable to all enrollees, or for the failure to pay the charge for such coverage, or for such other reasons as may be promulgated by the department.

(D) No health maintenance organization may refer to itself as an insurer or use a name deceptively similar to the name or description of any insurance or surety corporation doing business in the state.

(E) Any person not in possession of a valid certificate of authority issued pursuant to this chapter may not use the phrase "health maintenance organization" or "HMO" in the course of operation.

HISTORY: Enacted as 1976 Code SECTION 38-25-140 by 1987 Act No. 83, SECTION 1; recodified as SECTION 38-33-140 by 1987 Act No. 155, SECTION 24; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 633.