United HealthOne/Golden Rule, in an email release today, announced a temporary exit from the Colorado individual insurance market due to House Bill 10-1021, CONCERNING REQUIRED COVERAGES FOR REPRODUCTIVE SERVICES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES.
Beginning January 1st, 2011, all individual policies sold in Colorado must provide for maternity and reproductive services, same as any illness, except in cases of pre-existing condition.
“Following recent passage of legislation mandating unisex rating and maternity coverage, Golden Rule was required to file new plan designs with the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI). In early 2011, we will again offer consumers in Colorado a wide range of affordable health plan choices.
As of December 31, 2010, the only UnitedHealthOne plan that will remain available in Colorado is personal Dental.”
The new law, codified under 10-16-104 (3) (a) (I), Colorado Revised Statutes, doesn’t specifically address whether in-force individual plans will be required to provide this coverage on 1 January, or if individual plans will be allowed to update their coverage requirements at time of policy renewal.
Calls to other carriers operating in Colorado elicit little if any additional information on the benefits required under the law, or how these new mandates will affect premiums, or if other carriers may be forced to follow suit with “temporary” disruptions of individual health insurance availability on 1 January.
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