632.745(2)(b)1.
1. A condition that would have caused an ordinarily prudent person to seek medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment during the 6 months immediately preceding the effective date of coverage and for which the individual did not seek medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment.
632.745(2)(b)2.
2. A condition for which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received during the 6 months immediately preceding the effective date of coverage.
632.745(2)(c)
(c) Notwithstanding
par. (b) 1. and
2., a group health benefit plan, or a self-insured health plan, shall exclude pregnancy from the definition of a preexisting condition for the purpose of coverage of expenses related to prenatal and postnatal care, delivery and any complications of pregnancy.
632.745(3)(a)(a) A group health benefit plan, or a self-insured health plan, shall waive any period applicable to a preexisting condition exclusion or limitation period with respect to particular services for the period that an individual was previously covered by qualifying coverage that was not sponsored by the employer sponsoring the group health benefit plan or the self-insured health plan and that provided benefits with respect to such services, if the qualifying coverage terminated not more than 60 days before the effective date of the new coverage.
632.745(3)(b)
(b) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the application of a waiting period to all new enrollees under a group health benefit plan or a self-insured health plan; however, a waiting period may not be applied when determining whether the qualifying coverage terminated not more than 60 days before the effective date of the new coverage.
632.745(4)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (d), requirements used by an insurer in determining whether to provide coverage under a group health benefit plan to an employer, including requirements for minimum participation of eligible employes and minimum employer contributions, shall be applied uniformly among all employers that apply for or receive coverage from the insurer.
632.745(4)(b)
(b) An insurer may vary its minimum participation requirements and minimum employer contribution requirements only by the size of the employer group based on the number of eligible employes.
632.745(4)(c)
(c) In applying minimum participation requirements with respect to an employer, an insurer may not count eligible employes who have other coverage that is qualifying coverage in determining whether the applicable percentage of participation is met, except that an insurer may count eligible employes who have coverage under another health benefit plan that is sponsored by that employer and that is qualifying coverage.
632.745(4)(d)
(d) An insurer may not increase a requirement for minimum employe participation or a requirement for minimum employer contribution that applies to an employer after the employer has been accepted for coverage.
632.745(4)(e)
(e) This subsection does not apply to a group health benefit plan offered by the state under
s. 40.51 (6) or by the group insurance board under
s. 40.51 (7).
632.745(5)(a)1.1. Except as provided in rules promulgated under
subd. 3., if an insurer offers a group health benefit plan to an employer, the insurer shall offer coverage to all of the eligible employes of the employer and their dependents. Except as provided in rules promulgated under
subd. 3., an insurer may not offer coverage to only certain individuals in an employer group or to only part of the group, except for an eligible employe who has not yet satisfied an applicable waiting period, if any.
632.745(5)(a)2.
2. Except as provided in rules promulgated under
subd. 3., if the state or a county, city, village, town or school district offers coverage under a self-insured health plan, it shall offer coverage to all of its eligible employes and their dependents. Except as provided in rules promulgated under
subd. 3., the state or a county, city, village, town or school district may not offer coverage to only certain individuals in the employer group or to only part of the group, except for an eligible employe who has not yet satisfied an applicable waiting period, if any.
632.745(5)(a)3.
3. The secretary of employe trust funds, with the approval of the group insurance board, shall promulgate rules related to offering coverage to eligible employes under a group health benefit plan, or a self-insured health plan, offered by the state under
s. 40.51 (6) or by the group insurance board under
s. 40.51 (7). The rules shall conform to the intent of
subds. 1. and
2. and may not allow the state or the group insurance board to refuse to offer coverage to an eligible employe or dependent for reasons related to health condition.
632.745(5)(b)1.1. An insurer may not modify a group health benefit plan with respect to an employer or an eligible employe or dependent, through riders, endorsements or otherwise, to restrict or exclude coverage for certain diseases or medical conditions otherwise covered by the group health benefit plan.
632.745(5)(b)2.
2. The state or a county, city, village, town or school district may not modify a self-insured health plan with respect to an eligible employe or dependent, through riders, endorsements or otherwise, to restrict or exclude coverage for certain diseases or medical conditions otherwise covered by the self-insured health plan.
632.745(5)(b)3.
3. Nothing in this paragraph limits the authority of the group insurance board to fulfill its obligations as trustee under
s. 40.03 (6) (d) or to design or modify procedures or provisions pertaining to enrollment, premium transmitted or coverage of eligible employes for health care benefits under
s. 40.51 (1).
632.745 History
History: 1995 a. 289,
453.
632.747
632.747
Guaranteed acceptance. 632.747(1)
(1)
Employe becomes eligible after commencement of coverage. If an insurer provides coverage under a group health benefit plan, the insurer shall provide coverage under the group health benefit plan to an eligible employe who becomes eligible for coverage after the commencement of the employer's coverage, and to the eligible employe's dependents, regardless of health condition or claims experience, if all of the following apply:
632.747(1)(a)
(a) The employe has satisfied any applicable waiting period.
632.747(1)(b)
(b) The employer agrees to pay the premium required for coverage of the employe under the group health benefit plan.
632.747(2)
(2) Employe waived coverage previously. If an insurer provides coverage under a group health benefit plan, the insurer shall provide coverage under the group health benefit plan to an eligible employe who waived coverage during an enrollment period during which the employe was entitled to enroll in the group health benefit plan, regardless of health condition or claims experience, if all of the following apply:
632.747(2)(a)
(a) The eligible employe was covered as a dependent under qualifying coverage when he or she waived coverage under the group health benefit plan.
632.747(2)(b)
(b) The eligible employe's coverage under the qualifying coverage has terminated or will terminate due to a divorce from the insured under the qualifying coverage, the death of the insured under the qualifying coverage, loss of employment by the insured under the qualifying coverage or involuntary loss of coverage under the qualifying coverage by the insured under the qualifying coverage.
632.747(2)(c)
(c) The eligible employe applies for coverage under the group health benefit plan not more than 30 days after termination of his or her coverage under the qualifying coverage.
632.747(2)(d)
(d) The employer agrees to pay the premium required for coverage of the employe under the group health benefit plan.
632.747(3)
(3) State or municipal self-insured plans. If the state or a county, city, village, town or school district provides coverage under a self-insured health plan, it shall provide coverage under the self-insured health plan to an eligible employe who waived coverage during an enrollment period during which the employe was entitled to enroll in the self-insured health plan, regardless of health condition or claims experience, if all of the following apply:
632.747(3)(a)
(a) The eligible employe was covered as a dependent under qualifying coverage when he or she waived coverage under the self-insured health plan.
632.747(3)(b)
(b) The eligible employe's coverage under the qualifying coverage has terminated or will terminate due to a divorce from the insured under the qualifying coverage, the death of the insured under the qualifying coverage, loss of employment by the insured under the qualifying coverage or involuntary loss of coverage under the qualifying coverage by the insured under the qualifying coverage.
632.747(3)(c)
(c) The eligible employe applies for coverage under the self-insured health plan not more than 30 days after termination of his or her coverage under the qualifying coverage.
632.747 History
History: 1995 a. 289.
632.749
632.749
Contract termination and renewability. 632.749(1)(1)
Midterm cancellation. Notwithstanding
s. 631.36 (2) to
(4m), a group health benefit plan may not be canceled by an insurer before the expiration of the agreed term, and shall be renewable to the policyholder and all insureds and dependents eligible under the terms of the group health benefit plan at the expiration of the agreed term at the option of the policyholder, except for any of the following reasons:
632.749(1)(b)
(b) Fraud or misrepresentation by the policyholder, or, with respect to coverage for an insured individual, fraud or misrepresentation by that insured individual.
632.749(1)(c)
(c) Substantial breaches of contractual duties, conditions or warranties.
632.749(1)(d)
(d) The number of individuals covered under the group health benefit plan is less than the number required by the group health benefit plan.
632.749(1)(e)
(e) The employer to which the group health benefit plan is issued is no longer actively engaged in a business enterprise.
632.749(2)
(2) Nonrenewal. Notwithstanding
sub. (1), an insurer may elect not to renew a group health benefit plan if the insurer complies with all of the following:
632.749(2)(a)
(a) The insurer ceases to renew all other group health benefit plans issued by the insurer.
632.749(2)(b)
(b) The insurer provides notice to all affected policyholders and to the commissioner in each state in which an affected insured individual resides at least one year before termination of coverage.
632.749(2)(c)
(c) The insurer does not issue a group health benefit plan before 5 years after the nonrenewal of the group health benefit plans.
632.749(2)(d)
(d) The insurer does not transfer or otherwise provide coverage to a policyholder from the nonrenewed business unless the insurer offers to transfer or provide coverage to all affected policyholders from the nonrenewed business without regard to claims experience, health condition or duration of coverage.
632.749(3)
(3) Insurer in liquidation. This section does not apply to a group health benefit plan if the insurer that issued the group health benefit plan is in liquidation.
632.749(4)
(4) Applicability to certain government plans. This section does not apply to a group health benefit plan offered by the state under
s. 40.51 (6) or by the group insurance board under
s. 40.51 (7).
632.749 History
History: 1995 a. 289.
632.75
632.75
Prohibited provisions for disability insurance. 632.75(1)(1)
Death presumed from extended absence. Section 813.22 (1) applies to any disability insurance policy providing a death benefit.
632.75(2)
(2) Dividends conditioned on continuation of policy or payment of premiums. Except on the first or second anniversary, no dividend payable on a disability insurance policy may be made contingent on the continuation of the policy or on premium payments.
632.75(3)
(3) Prohibition of exclusion from coverage of certain dependent children. No disability insurance policy issued or renewed on or after April 30, 1980, may exclude or terminate from coverage any dependent child of an insured person or group member solely because the child does not reside with the insured person or group member. This subsection does not apply to a group policy, as defined in
s. 632.897 (1) (c), or an individual policy, as defined in
s. 632.897 (1) (cm), that is subject to
s. 632.897 (10).
632.75(4)
(4) Out-of-state service providers. Except as provided in
s. 628.36, no disability insurance policy may exclude or limit coverage of health care services provided outside this state, if the services are provided within 75 miles of the insured's residence in a facility licensed or approved by the state where the facility is located.
632.75(5)
(5) Payments for hospital services. No insurer may reimburse a hospital for patient health care costs at a rate exceeding the rate established under ch.
54, 1985 stats., or s.
146.60, 1983 stats., for care provided prior to July 1, 1987.
632.755(1g)(a)(a) A disability insurance policy may not exclude a person or a person's dependent from coverage because the person or the dependent is eligible for assistance under
ch. 49.
632.755(1g)(b)
(b) A disability insurance policy may not terminate its coverage of a person or a person's dependent because the person or the dependent is eligible for assistance under
ch. 49.
632.755(1g)(c)
(c) A disability insurance policy may not provide different benefits of coverage to a person or the person's dependent because the person or the dependent is eligible for assistance under
ch. 49 than it provides to persons and their dependents who are not eligible for assistance under
ch. 49.
632.755(2)
(2) Benefits provided by a disability insurance policy shall be primary to those benefits provided under
ch. 49 or under
s. 253.05.
632.76
632.76
Incontestability for disability insurance. 632.76(1)(1)
Avoidance for misrepresentations. No statement made by an applicant in the application for individual disability insurance coverage and no statement made respecting the person's insurability by a person insured under a group policy, except fraudulent misrepresentation, is a basis for avoidance of the policy or denial of a claim for loss incurred or disability commencing after the coverage has been in effect for 2 years. The policy may provide for incontestability even with respect to fraudulent misstatements.
632.76(2)(a)(a) No claim for loss incurred or disability commencing after 2 years from the date of issue of the policy may be reduced or denied on the ground that a disease or physical condition existed prior to the effective date of coverage, unless the condition was excluded from coverage by name or specific description by a provision effective on the date of loss. This paragraph does not apply to a group health benefit plan, as defined in
s. 632.745 (1) (c), which is subject to
s. 632.745 (2).
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (a) is shown as amended eff. 5-1-97 by
1995 Wis. Act 289. Prior to 5-1-97 it reads:
Effective date text
(a) No claim for loss incurred or disability commencing after 2 years from the date of issue of the policy may be reduced or denied on the ground that a disease or physical condition existed prior to the effective date of coverage, unless the condition was excluded from coverage by name or specific description by a provision effective on the date of loss.
632.76(2)(b)
(b) Notwithstanding
par. (a), no claim for loss incurred or disability commencing after 6 months from the date of issue of a medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy or long-term care insurance policy may be reduced or denied on the ground that a disease or physical condition existed prior to the effective date of coverage. A medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy or long-term care insurance policy may not define a preexisting condition more restrictively than a condition for which medical advice was given or treatment was recommended by or received from a physician within 6 months before the effective date of coverage. Notwithstanding
par. (a), if on the basis of information contained in an application for insurance a medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy or long-term care insurance policy excludes from coverage a condition by name or specific description, the exclusion must terminate no later than 6 months after the date of issue of the medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy or long-term care insurance policy. The commissioner may by rule exempt from this paragraph certain classes of medicare supplement policies, medicare replacement policies and long-term care insurance policies, if the commissioner finds the exemption is not adverse to the interests of policyholders and certificate holders.
632.77
632.77
Permitted provisions for disability insurance policies. If any provisions are contained in a disability insurance policy dealing with the following subjects, they shall conform to the requirements specified:
632.77(1)
(1) Change of occupation. Any provision respecting change of occupation may provide only for a lower maximum payment and for reduction of loss payments proportionate to the change in appropriate premium rates if the change is to a higher rated occupation, and must provide for retroactive reduction of premium rates from the date of change of occupation or the last policy anniversary date, whichever is the more recent, if the change is to a lower rated occupation.
632.77(2)
(2) Misstatement of age. Any provision respecting misstatement of age may only provide for reduction of the loss payable to the amount that the premium paid would have purchased at the correct age.
632.77(3)
(3) Limitations on payments. Any limitation on payments because of other insurance or because of the income of the insured must be in accordance with provisions approved by the commissioner by rule or explicitly approved in approving the policy form, but the commissioner may not promulgate a rule that conflicts with
s. 632.755 nor approve a policy form that does not comply with
s. 632.755.
632.77(4)
(4) Facility of payment. Reasonable facility of payment clauses may be inserted. Payment in accordance with such clauses shall discharge the insurer's obligation to pay claims.
632.775
632.775
Effect of power of attorney for health care. 632.775(1)(1)
Insurer may not require. An insurer may not require an individual to execute a power of attorney for health care under
ch. 155 as a condition of coverage under a disability insurance policy.
632.775(2)
(2) Effect on disability policies. Executing a power of attorney for health care under
ch. 155 may not be used to impair in any manner the procurement of a disability insurance policy or to modify the terms of an existing disability insurance policy. A disability insurance policy may not be impaired or invalidated in any manner by the exercise of a health care decision by a health care agent on behalf of a person who is insured under the policy and who has authorized the health care agent under
ch. 155.
632.775 History
History: 1989 a. 200.
632.78
632.78
Required grace period for disability insurance policies. Every disability insurance policy shall contain clauses providing for a grace period of at least 7 days for weekly premium policies, 10 days for monthly premium policies and 31 days for all other policies, for each premium after the first, during which the policy shall continue in force. In group and blanket policies the policy must provide for a grace period of at least 31 days unless the policyholder gives written notice of discontinuance prior to the date of discontinuance and in accordance with the policy terms. In group or blanket policies, the policy may provide for payment of a proportional premium for the period the policy is in effect during the grace period under this section.
632.785
632.785
Notice of mandatory risk-sharing plan.
