Subject


Pursuant to Section 627.410(6)(a), Florida Statutes, health insurers seeking to issue or renew health insurance policy forms in the State of Florida must submit documentation (rating manuals, rating schedules, change in rating manual, change in rating schedule, etc.) to the Office demonstrating that the proposed policy or policy renewal’s premium rates are reasonable in relation to the benefits provided. Rule 69O-149.003, Florida Administrative Code, provides insurers with detailed rate filing procedures. Rule 69O-149.003(5), Florida Administrative Code, allows insurers without fully credible data to make streamlined rate increase filings with the Office that are simpler in format and content than the full filing format defined in Rule 69O-149.003(2), Florida Administrative Code. Insurers who qualify and elect to file streamlined rate increase filings with the Office are limited to rate increases equal to the maximum annual medical trend for medical expense coverage or the maximum annual medical trend for Medicare Supplement coverage. The current version of paragraph 69O-149.003(6), Florida Administrative Code, includes tables which display the applicable maximum annual medical trend. The proposed amendments to Rule 69O-149.003, Florida Administrative Code, deletes the aforementioned maximum annual medical trend tables from the text of the rule and provides the URL of the Office’s website on which the Office will update the tables as needed. Paragraph 69O-149.003(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, defines the qualifications that insurers must meet to make streamlined rate increase filings. The current version of paragraph 69O-149.003(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, allows Medicare Supplement providers with fewer than 1,000 Florida policyholders to make streamlined rate increase filings with the Office. The proposed amendments to paragraph 69O-149.003(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, limit the use of streamlined rate increase filings to Medicare Supplement providers with fewer than 1,000 policyholders nationwide rather than to 1,000 policyholders in Florida.