No. 28117: R590-85. Individual Accident and Health Insurance and Individual and Group Medicare Supplement Rates

DAR File No.: 28117
Filed: 09/30/2005, 08:44
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

A change is being made due to comments received during the comment period.

 

Summary of the rule or change:

Instead of allowing for rate increases once every 12 months, the rule how allows for trend increases to be made more often and rate increases to be made only on the policy anniversary date. (DAR NOTE: This change in proposed rule has been filed to make additional changes to a proposed amendment that was published in the August 15, 2005, issue of the Utah State Bulletin, on page 18. Underlining in the rule below indicates text that has been added since the publication of the proposed rule mentioned above; strike-out indicates text that has been deleted. You must view the change in proposed rule and the proposed amendment together to understand all of the changes that will be enforceable should the agency make this rule effective.)

 

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Sections 31A-2-201, 31A-2-201.1, 31A-22-605, and 31A-22-620

 

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

The change made to this rule will have no fiscal impact on the state budget. The amendment will not change the work load or revenues of the department.

 

local governments:

This rule only applies to the relationship between the Insurance Department and their licensees. It does not affect local government laws or procedures, therefore, there are no costs or savings.

 

other persons:

The change to this rule will not require a change in the insurer's workload or fees paid to the Insurance Department. It does make it possible for an insurer to change policyholder rates mid-term if trends in the marketplace change, for example, if medical costs increase or decrease. At that point, an insurer may file a rate change with the department midterm. This change in wording will allow insurers to pass along costs or savings to their insureds if they wish. What these costs or saving will be is unknown at this time.

 

Compliance costs for affected persons:

The change to this rule will not require a change in the insurer's workload or fees paid to the Insurance Department. It does make it possible for an insurer to change policyholder rates mid-term if trends in the marketplace change, for example, if medical costs increase or decrease. At that point, an insurer may file a rate change with the department midterm. This change in wording will allow insurers to pass along costs or savings to their insureds if they wish. What these costs or saving will be is unknown at this time.

 

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

The change to this rule will allow insurance companies to increase or decrease a policyholder's premium mid-term due to market trends affecting them. D. Kent Michie, Commissioner

 

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Insurance
Administration
Room 3110 STATE OFFICE BLDG
450 N MAIN ST
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84114-1201

 

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Jilene Whitby at the above address, by phone at 801-538-3803, by FAX at 801-538-3829, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

 

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

11/14/2005

 

This rule may become effective on:

11/15/2005

 

Authorized by:

Jilene Whitby, Information Specialist

 

 

RULE TEXT

R590. Insurance, Administration.

R590-85. Individual Accident and Health Insurance and Individual and Group Medicare Supplement Rates.

 

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R590-85-4. General Requirements.

(1) When Rate Filing is Required.

(a) Every filing for a policy, certificate or endorsement affecting benefits shall be accompanied by a rate filing that complies with this rule.

(b) A rate filing is not required for an endorsement that has no rating effect.

(c) Any subsequent addition to or change in rates applicable to the policy or endorsement shall also be filed prior to use.

(2) General Contents of All Rate Filings. Each rate submission shall include:

(a) rate sheets for current and proposed rates, if applicable, that are clearly identified;

(b) actuarial memorandum describing the basis on which rates were determined, which includes:

(i) description of the policy, benefits, renewability, general marketing methods, and issue age limits;

(ii) description of how rates were determined, including a general description and source of each assumption used;

(iii) estimated average annual premium per policy for Utah;

(iv) anticipated loss ratio of the present value of the expected benefits to the present value of the expected premiums over the entire period for which rates are computed to provide coverage. Interest shall be used in the calculation;

(v) minimum anticipated loss ratio presumed reasonable in R590-85-5(1); and

(vi) signed certification by a qualified actuary which states that to the best of the actuary's knowledge and judgment the rate filing is in compliance with the applicable laws and rules of the state of Utah and the benefits are reasonable in relation to the premiums charged; and

(c) a statement that the rates have been filed with and approved by the home state. If approval is not required by the home state, then alternative information which includes a list of the states to which the rates were submitted, the date submitted, and any responses, must be included.

(3) Previously Filed Form. Filing a rate change for a previously filed rate shall include the following:

(a) a statement of the scope and reason for the change;

(b) a description of how revised rates were determined, including the general description and source of each assumption used;

(c) an estimated average annual premium per policy in Utah, before and after the proposed rate increase;

(d) a comparison of Utah and average nationwide premiums, for representative rating cells based on the Utah distribution of business;

(e) a comparison of revised premiums with current scale;

(f) a statement as to whether the filing applies to new business, in-force business, or both, and the reasons;

(g) a detailed history of national experience, which includes the data in Subsection 4(4) that shows on a yearly and durational basis:

(i) premiums received;

(ii) earned premiums;

(iii) benefits paid;

(iv) incurred benefits;

(v) increase in active life reserves;

(vi) increase in claim reserves;

(vii) incurred loss ratio;

(viii) cumulative loss ratio; and

(ix) any other available data the insurer may wish to provide;

(h) detailed history of Utah experience, which includes the data in Subsection 4(4) that shows on a yearly basis:

(i) earned premiums;

(ii) incurred benefits;

(iii) incurred loss ratio; and

(iv) cumulative loss ratio;

(i) anticipated nationwide future loss ratio, which includes:

(i[i]) projected premiums;

(ii) projected claims; and

(iii) projected loss ratio; and

(iv) assumptions and calculations. Interest shall be used in the calculation;

(j) anticipated Utah future loss ratio, which includes:

(i) projected premiums;

(ii) projected claims; and

(iii) projected loss ratio; and

(iv) description of assumptions and calculations. Interest shall be used in the calculation;

(k) cumulative past and projected future loss ratio and description of the calculation;

(l) the number of policyholders residing in the state of Utah; and

(m) the date and magnitude of all previous rate changes.

(4) Experience Records

(a) An insurer shall maintain records of premiums collected, earned premiums, benefits paid, incurred benefits and reserves for each calendar year, for each policy form, and applicable endorsements. The records shall be maintained as required for the Accident and Health Policy Experience Exhibit.

(i) Separate data may be maintained for each endorsement to the extent appropriate.

(ii) Experience under policies that provide substantially similar coverage may be combined. The data shall be for all years of issue combined, for each calendar year of experience since the year the form was first issued.

(b) A rate revision must provide the information required in Subsection (4)(a) on both a national and state basis.

(5) Evaluating Experience Data. In determining the credibility and appropriateness of experience data, due consideration must be given to all relevant factors, such as:

(a) statistical credibility of premiums and benefits, for example low exposure or low loss frequency;

(b) experience and projected trends relative to the kind of coverage, for example: persistency, inflation in medical expenses, or economic cycles affecting disability income experience;

(c) concentration of experience at early policy durations where select morbidity and preliminary term reserves are applicable and where loss ratios are expected to be substantially lower than at later policy durations; and

(d) the mix of business by risk classification.

(6) [A rate increases may only be requested once every 12 months]Except for a filed trend increase, a rate may only be increased on the policy anniversary.

(7) Implementation of a filed rate increase must be initiated within 12 months from the filed date. A company forfeits the right to implement an increase if they fail to initiate implementation within 12 months of the filed date.

(8) A filing may be rejected or prohibited if the company fails to submit all required information.

 

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KEY: insurance law

2005

Notice of Continuation April 24, 2002

31A-2-201

31A-22-605

31A-22-620