(a) This section shall apply to grandfathered health insurance policies and nongrandfathered health insurance policies in the individual or small group markets that are issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2017.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 10199.48, a health insurance policy shall not change the cost-sharing design during the policy year, except when required by state or federal law.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “Cost sharing” includes any copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or any other form of cost sharing by the insured other than the premium or share of premium.
(2) “Policy year” has the meaning set forth in Section 144.103 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations. For nongrandfathered health insurance policies in the individual market, “policy year” means the calendar year.
(3) “Cost-sharing design” means the amount or proportion of cost sharing applied to a covered benefit.
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 192, Sec. 2. (SB 923) Effective January 1, 2017.)