Tennessee § 56-51-117 - Restrictions upon expulsion or refusal to issue or renew contract.

§ 56-51-117. Restrictions upon expulsion or refusal to issue or renew contract.

A prepaid limited health service organization may not expel or refuse to renew the coverage of or refuse to enroll any individual member of a subscriber group through a health maintenance organization or a state or federal agency on the basis of the race, color, creed, disability, marital status, sex, or national origin of the subscriber or individual. A prepaid limited health service organization may not expel or refuse to renew the coverage of any individual member of a subscriber group through a health maintenance organization or a state or federal agency on the basis of the age or health status of the subscriber or individual. For group solicitations through a contract with a health maintenance organization, a prepaid limited health service organization may preunderwrite to determine group acceptability. However, once a contract is issued, a prepaid limited health service organization must provide coverage to all existing enrollees and their dependents, and newly employed enrollees and their dependents who have enrolled within thirty (30) days of eligibility or membership. Nothing in this section prohibits a prepaid limited health service organization from requiring in its contracts with health maintenance organizations that, as a condition of continued eligibility for membership, dependents of a subscriber upon reaching a specified age convert to a converted contract. Coverage must continue to be provided to children with a disability who are incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental or physical disability, and substantially dependent upon the enrollee for support and maintenance. Acts 2000, ch. 948, § 17; 2011, ch. 47, §§ 67, 68. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2011, ch. 47, § 107 provided that nothing in the legislation shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the eligibility for services or the rights or responsibilities of individuals covered by the provision on the day before the date of enactment of this legislation, which was July 1, 2011. Acts 2011, ch. 47, § 108 provided that the provisions of the act are declared to be remedial in nature and all provisions of the act shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes.