HB 843 -- Health Maintenance Organizations

Sponsor:  Auer

This bill applies the following two laws to all health
maintenance organizations:

(1)  Section 376.438 RSMo -- This law governs what is a
reasonable provision in a group policy for extending certain
benefits even after the policy's cancellation.  (The 8th Circuit
Court of Appeals ruled in United of Omaha v. Business Men's
Assurance Company (1997) that the federal ERISA law does not
preempt this Missouri law); and

(2)  Section 376.441 RSMo -- This law governs the liability of
the previous insurer when a policyholder replaces one benefit
plan with a similar plan from another insurer.  The law also
explains the coverage requirements of the succeeding insurer.