Rhode Island General Laws Title 27. Insurance § 27-18.5-9. Affordable health plan reinsurance program for individuals

(a) The commissioner shall allocate funds from the affordable health plan reinsurance fund for the affordable health reinsurance program.

(b) The affordable health reinsurance program for individuals shall only be available to high-risk individuals as defined in § 27-18.5-2, and who purchase the direct wellness health benefit plan pursuant to the provisions of this section. Eligibility shall be determined based on state and federal income tax filings.

(c) The affordable health plan reinsurance shall be in the form of a carrier cost-sharing arrangement, which encourages carriers to offer a discounted premium rate to participating individuals, and whereby the reinsurance fund subsidizes the carriers' losses within a prescribed corridor of risk as determined by regulation.

(d) The specific structure of the reinsurance arrangement shall be defined by regulations promulgated by the commissioner.

(e) The commissioner shall determine total eligible enrollment under qualifying individual health insurance contracts by dividing the funds available for distribution from the reinsurance fund by the estimated per member annual cost of claims reimbursement from the reinsurance fund.

(f) The commissioner shall suspend the enrollment of new individuals under qualifying individual health insurance contracts if the director determines that the total enrollment reported under such contracts is projected to exceed the total eligible enrollment, thereby resulting in anticipated annual expenditures from the reinsurance fund in excess of ninety-five percent (95%) of the total funds available for distribution from the fund.

(g) The commissioner shall provide the health maintenance organization, health insurers and health plans with notification of any enrollment suspensions as soon as practicable after receipt of all enrollment data.

(h) The premiums of qualifying individual health insurance contracts must be no more than ninety percent (90%) of the actuarially-determined and commissioner approved premium for this health plan without the reinsurance program assistance.

(i) The commissioner shall prepare periodic public reports in order to facilitate evaluation and ensure orderly operation of the funds, including, but not limited to, an annual report of the affairs and operations of the fund, containing an accounting of the administrative expenses charged to the fund. Such reports shall be delivered to the co-chairs of the joint legislative committee on health care oversight by March 1st of each year.