(a) Each small employer carrier shall actively market health benefit plan coverage, including the basic and standard health benefit plans, to eligible small employers in the State. If a small employer carrier denies coverage to a small employer on the basis of the health status or claims experience of the small employer or its employees or dependents, the small employer carrier shall offer the small employer the opportunity to purchase a basic health benefit plan and a standard health benefit plan.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, no small employer carrier or producer shall, directly or indirectly, engage in the following activities:
a. Encouraging or directing small employers to refrain from filing an application for coverage with the small employer carrier because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation or geographic location of the small employer.
b. Encouraging or directing small employers to seek coverage from another carrier because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation or geographic location of the small employer.
(2) The provision of paragraph (b)(1) of this section shall not apply with respect to information provided by a small employer carrier or producer to a small employer regarding the established geographic service area or a restricted network provision of a small employer carrier.
(c) Except as provided in this section, no small employer carrier shall, directly or indirectly, enter into any contract, agreement or arrangement with a producer that provides for or results in the compensation paid to a producer for the sale of a health benefit plan to be varied because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation or geographic area of the small employer.
(d) A small employer carrier shall provide reasonable compensation, as provided under the plan of operation of the Program, to a producer, if any, for the sale of a basic or standard health benefit plan.
(e) No small employer carrier may terminate, fail to renew or limit its contract or agreement of representation with a producer for any reason related to the health status, claims experience, occupation or geographic location of the small employers placed by the producer with the small employer carrier.
(f) No small employer carrier or producer may induce or otherwise encourage a small employer to separate or otherwise exclude an employee from health coverage or benefits provided in connection with the employee's employment.
(g) Denial by a small employer carrier of an application for coverage from a small employer shall be in writing and shall state the reason or reasons for the denial.
(h) The Commissioner may establish regulations setting forth additional standards to provide for the fair marketing and broad availability of health benefit plans to small employers in this State.
(i) (1) A violation of this section by a small employer carrier or a producer shall be an unfair trade practice under §§ 2303 and 2304 of this title.
(2) If a small employer carrier enters into a contract, agreement or other arrangement with a thirrd-party administrator to provide administrative, marketing or other services related to the offering of health benefit plans to small employers in this State, the third-party administrator shall be subject to this section as if it were a small employer carrier.