(a) The board shall select an insurer or third-party administrator to administer the plan. The board shall evaluate bids submitted by interested parties based on criteria established by the board which shall include:

(1) The bidder’s proven ability to handle individual accident and health insurance;

(2) the efficiency of the bidder’s claim paying procedure;

(3) an estimate of total charges for administering the plan; and

(4) the bidder’s ability to administer the plan in a cost efficient manner.

(b) The administering carrier so selected shall serve for a period of three years subject to removal for cause. At least one year prior to the expiration of each three-year period of service, the board shall invite all interested parties, including the current administering carrier, to submit bids to serve as the administering carrier for the succeeding three-year period. Selection of the administering carrier for the succeeding period shall be made at least six months prior to the end of the current three-year period. The administering carrier shall be paid as provided in the plan of operation.

(c) The administering carrier shall perform all administrative, eligibility and administrative claims payment functions relating to the plan, including:

(1) Establishing a billing procedure for collection of premiums from insured persons. Billings shall be made on a periodic basis as determined by the board, which shall not be more frequent than a monthly billing;

(2) performing all necessary functions to assure timely payment of benefits to covered persons under the plan including making available information relating to the proper manner of submitting a claim for benefits to the plan, distributing forms upon which submission shall be made and evaluating the eligibility of each claim for payment under the plan;

(3) accepting payments of premiums from insured persons and remitting such payments to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit of the uninsurable health insurance plan fund established in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 40-2126, and amendments thereto;

(4) submitting regular reports to the board regarding the operation of the plan. The frequency, content and form of the reports shall be as determined by the board;

(5) determining net written and earned premiums, the expense of administration, and the paid and incurred losses for each year and reporting such information to the board and the commissioner in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.