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054.00.27-9. STANDARD MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT BENEFIT PLANS FOR 1990 STANDARDIZED MEDICARE SUPPLEME...

AR ADC 054.00.27-9Arkansas Administrative CodeEffective: February 1, 2018

West's Arkansas Administrative Code
Title 054. Insurance Department
Division 00.
Rule 27. Minimum Standards for Medicare Supplement Policies
Effective: February 1, 2018
Ark. Admin. Code 054.00.27-9
054.00.27-9. STANDARD MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT BENEFIT PLANS FOR 1990 STANDARDIZED MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT BENEFIT PLAN POLICIES OR CERTIFICATES ISSUED FOR DELIVERY ON OR AFTER MAY 1, 1992 AND WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF COVERAGE PRIOR TO JUNE 1, 2010
Currentness
A. An issuer shall make available to each prospective policyholder and certificate holder a policy form or certificate form containing only the basic core benefits, as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule.
B. No groups, packages or combinations of Medicare supplement benefits other than those listed in this Section shall be offered for sale in Arkansas, except as may be permitted in Section 9 (G) and in Section 10 of this rule.
C. Benefit plans shall be uniform in structure, language, designation and format to the standard benefit plans “A” through “L” listed in this Section and conform to the definitions in Section 4 of this rule. Each benefit shall be structured in accordance with the format provided in Sections 8(B) and 8(C), or 8 (D) and list the benefits in the order shown in this Section. For purposes of this Section, “structure, language, and format” means style, arrangement and overall content of a benefit.
D. An issuer may use, in addition to the benefit plan designations required in Subsection (C) of this Section, other designations to the extent permitted by law.
E. Make-up of benefit plans:
(1) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “A” shall be limited to the basic (Core) benefits common to all benefit plans, as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule.
(2) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “B” shall include only the following: The Core Benefit as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A Deductible as defined in Section 8(C)(1) of this rule.
(3) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “C” shall include only the following: The Core Benefit as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A Deductible, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, Medicare Part B Deductible and Medically Necessary Emergency Care in a Foreign Country as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (3) and (8) respectively of this rule.
(4) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “D” shall include only the following: The Core Benefit (as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule), plus the Medicare Part A Deductible, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, Medically Necessary Emergency Care in a Foreign Country and the At-Home Recovery Benefit as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (8) and (10) respectively of this rule.
(5) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “E” shall include only the following: The core benefit as defined in Section 8 (B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country and preventive medical care as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (8) and (9) respectively.
(6) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “F” shall include only the following: The core benefit as defined in Section 8 (B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, the skilled nursing facility care, the Part B deductible, one hundred percent (100%) of the Medicare Part B excess charges, and medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country as defined in Sections 8 (C)(1), (2), (3), (5) and (8) respectively.
(7) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan “F” shall include only the following: 100% of covered expenses following the payment of the annual high deductible plan “F” deductible. The covered expenses include the core benefit as defined in Section 8 (B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, the Medicare Part B deductible, one hundred percent (100%) of the Medicare Part B excess charges, and medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country as defined in Sections 8 (C)(1), (2), (3), (5) and (8) respectively. The annual high deductible plan “F” deductible shall consist of out-of-pocket expenses, other than premiums, for services covered by the Medicare supplement plan “F” policy, and shall be in addition to any other specific benefit deductibles. The annual high deductible Plan “F” deductible shall be $1500 for 1998 and 1999, and shall be based on the calendar year. It shall be adjusted annually thereafter by the Secretary to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for the twelve (12) month period ending with August of the preceding year, and rounded to the nearest multiple of $10.
(8) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “G” shall include only the following: The Core Benefit as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A Deductible, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, Eighty Percent (80%) of the Medicare Part B Excess Charges, Medically Necessary Emergency Care in a Foreign Country, and the At-Home Recovery Benefit as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (4), (8) and (10) respectively of this rule.
(9) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “H” shall consist of only the following: The Core Benefit as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A Deductible, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, Basic Prescription Drug Benefit and Medically Necessary Emergency Care in a Foreign Country as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (6) and (8) respectively of this rule. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold after December 31, 2005.
(10) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “I” shall consist of only the following: The Core Benefit as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A Deductible, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, One Hundred Percent (100%) of the Medicare Part B Excess Charges, Basic Prescription Drug Benefit, Medically Necessary Emergency Care in a Foreign Country and At-Home Recovery Benefit as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (5), (6), (8) and (10) respectively of this rule. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold after December 31, 2005.
(11) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “J” shall consist of only the following: The Core Benefit as defined in Section 8(B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A Deductible, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, Medicare Part B Deductible, One Hundred Percent (100%) of the Medicare Part B Excess Charges, Extended Prescription Drug Benefit, Medically Necessary Emergency Care in a Foreign Country, Preventive Medical Care and At-Home Recovery Benefit as defined in Sections 8(C)(1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (9) and (10) respectively of this rule. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold after December 31, 2005.
(12) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan “J” shall consist of only the following: 100% of covered expenses following the payment of the annual high deductible plan “J” deductible. The covered expenses include the core benefit as defined in Section 8 (B) of this rule, plus the Medicare Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility care, Medicare Part B deductible, one hundred percent of the Medicare Part B excess charges, extended outpatient prescription drug benefit, medically necessary emergency care in a foreign country, preventive medical care benefit and at-home recovery benefit as defined in Sections 8 (C) (1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (9) and (10) respectively. The annual high deductible plan “J” deductible shall consist of out-of-pocket expenses, other than premiums, for services covered by the Medicare supplement plan “J” policy, and shall be in addition to any other specific benefit deductibles. The annual deductible shall be $1500 for 1998 and 1999, and shall be based on a calendar year. It shall be adjusted annually thereafter by the Secretary to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for the twelve-month period ending with August of the preceding year, and rounded to the nearest multiple of $10. The outpatient prescription drug benefit shall not be included in a Medicare supplement policy sold after December 31, 2005.
F. Make-up of two Medicare supplement plans mandated by The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA);
(1) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “K” shall consist of only those benefits described in Section 8 D(1).
(2) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan “L” shall consist of only those benefits described in Section 8 D(2).
G. New or Innovative Benefits: An issuer may, with the prior approval of the Commissioner, offer policies or certificates with new or innovative benefits in addition to the benefits provided in a policy or certificate that otherwise complies with the applicable standards. The new or innovative benefits may include benefits that are appropriate to Medicare supplement insurance, new or innovative, not otherwise available, cost-effective, and offered in a manner that is consistent with the goal of simplification of Medicare supplement policies. After December 31, 2005, the innovative benefit shall not include an outpatient prescription drug benefit.

Credits

Amended July 1, 2009; Feb. 1, 2018.
Current with amendments received through February 15, 2024. Some sections may be more current, see credit for details.
Ark. Admin. Code 054.00.27-9, AR ADC 054.00.27-9
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