The following standards are applicable to all Medicare supplement policies or certificates delivered or issued for delivery in this state to individuals newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. No policy or certificate that provides coverage of the Medicare Part B deductible may be advertised, solicited, delivered or issued for delivery in the state as a Medicare supplement policy or certificate to individuals newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. All policies must comply with the following benefit standards. Benefit plan standards applicable to Medicare supplement policies and certificates issued to individuals eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, remain subject to the requirements of Section 1358.91 or 1358.9, as applicable.
(a) The standards and requirements of Section 1358.91 shall apply to all Medicare supplement policies or certificates delivered or issued for delivery to individuals newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, with the following exceptions:
(1) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan C is redesignated as plan D and shall provide the benefits described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 1358.91 but shall not provide coverage for 100 percent, or any portion, of the Medicare Part B deductible.
(2) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan F is redesignated as plan G and shall provide the benefits described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (e) of Section 1358.91, but shall not provide coverage for 100 percent, or any portion, of the Medicare Part B deductible.
(3) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit plans C, F, and high deductible plan F may not be offered to individuals newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
(4) Standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan F is redesignated as high deductible plan G and shall provide the benefits described for standardized Medicare supplement benefit high deductible plan F in paragraph (6) of subdivision (e) of Section 1358.91, but shall not provide coverage for 100 percent, or any portion, of the Medicare Part B deductible. The Medicare Part B deductible paid by the beneficiary shall be considered an out-of-pocket expense in meeting the annual deductible under high deductible plan G.
(5) The reference to standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan C or F in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1358.91 shall, for purposes of this section, be deemed a reference to standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan D or G, respectively.
(b) This section applies only to individuals who are newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. For purposes of this section, “newly eligible Medicare beneficiary” means an individual who satisfies either of the following:
(1) The individual has attained 65 years of age on or after January 1, 2020.
(2) The individual is entitled to benefits under Medicare Part A pursuant to Section 226(b) or 226A of the federal Social Security Act, or is deemed eligible for benefits under Section 226(a) of the federal Social Security Act, on or after January 1, 2020.
(c) For purposes of subdivision (e) of Section 1358.12, in the case of an individual newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, any reference to standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan C, plan F, or high deductible plan F shall be deemed to be a reference to standardized Medicare supplement benefit plan D, plan G, or high deductible plan G, respectively, that meet the requirements of subdivision (a).
(d) On or after January 1, 2020, the standardized Medicare supplement benefit plans described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) may be offered to any individual who was eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020, in addition to the standardized Medicare supplement benefit plans described in subdivision (e) of Section 1358.91.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 370, Sec. 193. (SB 1371) Effective January 1, 2021.)