1. a. Upon the approval of a plan of operation by the commissioner under section 513B.13, subsection 4, a small employer carrier authorized to transact the business of insurance in this state shall notify the commissioner of the carrier’s intention to operate as a risk-assuming carrier or a reinsuring carrier. The notification shall be made as deemed appropriate by the commissioner. A small employer carrier seeking to operate as a risk-assuming carrier shall make an application pursuant to section 513B.12.

 b. The notification of the commissioner concerning the carrier’s intention pursuant to paragraph “a” is binding for a five-year period from the date notification is given, except that the initial notification given by carriers after July 1, 1992, is binding for a two-year period. The commissioner may permit a carrier to modify the carrier’s decision at any time for good cause.
 c. The commissioner shall establish an application process for small employer carriers seeking to change their status pursuant to this subsection. If a small employer carrier has been acquired by another such carrier, the commissioner may waive or modify the time periods established in paragraph “b”.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 513B.11

  • Carrier: means an entity subject to the insurance laws and regulations of this state, or subject to the jurisdiction of the commissioner, that contracts or offers to contract to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services, including an insurance company offering sickness and accident plans, a health maintenance organization, a nonprofit health service corporation, or any other entity providing a plan of health insurance, health benefits, or health services. See Iowa Code 513B.2
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of insurance. See Iowa Code 513B.2
  • Health insurance coverage: means benefits consisting of health care provided directly, through insurance or reimbursement, or otherwise and including items and services paid for as health care under a hospital or health service policy or certificate, hospital or health service plan contract, or health maintenance organization contract offered by a carrier. See Iowa Code 513B.2
  • Small employer: means a person actively engaged in business who, on at least fifty percent of the employer's working days during the preceding year, employed at least one and not more than fifty full-time equivalent eligible employees. See Iowa Code 513B.2
  • Small employer carrier: means any carrier which offers health benefit plans covering the employees of a small employer. See Iowa Code 513B.2
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. A reinsuring carrier that applies and is approved to operate as a risk-assuming carrier shall not be permitted to continue to reinsure any health insurance coverage with the program. The carrier shall pay a prorated assessment based upon business issued as a reinsuring carrier for any portion of the year that the business was reinsured.