Section 10198.7.

(a) A health benefit plan for group coverage shall not impose any preexisting condition provision or waivered condition provision upon any individual.

(b) (1) A nongrandfathered health benefit plan for individual coverage shall not impose any preexisting condition provision or waivered condition provision upon any individual.

(2)  A grandfathered health benefit plan for individual coverage shall not exclude coverage on the basis of a waivered condition provision or preexisting condition provision for a period greater than 12 months following the individual's effective date of coverage, nor limit or exclude coverage for a specific insured by type of illness, treatment, medical condition, or accident, except for satisfaction of a preexisting condition provision or waivered condition provision pursuant to this article. Waivered condition provisions or preexisting condition provisions contained in individual grandfathered health benefit plans may relate only to conditions for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment, including use of prescription drugs, was recommended or received from a licensed health practitioner during the 12 months immediately preceding the effective date of coverage.

(3) If Section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code, as added by Section 1501 of PPACA, is repealed or amended to no longer apply to the individual market, as defined in Section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-4), paragraph (1) shall become inoperative 12 months after the date of that repeal or amendment and thereafter paragraph (2) shall apply also to nongrandfathered health benefit plans for individual coverage.

(c) (1) A health benefit plan for group coverage may apply a waiting period of up to 60 days as a condition of employment if applied equally to all eligible employees and dependents and if consistent with PPACA. A waiting period shall not be based on a preexisting condition of an employee or dependent, the health status of an employee or dependent, or any other factor listed in Section 10198.9. During the waiting period, the health benefit plan is not required to provide health care services and no premium shall be charged to the policyholder or insureds.

(2) A health benefit plan for individual coverage shall not impose a waiting period.

(d) In determining whether a preexisting condition provision, a waivered condition provision, or a waiting period applies to a person, a health benefit plan shall credit the time the person was covered under creditable coverage, provided that the person becomes eligible for coverage under the succeeding health benefit plan within 62 days of termination of prior coverage, exclusive of any waiting period, and applies for coverage under the succeeding plan within the applicable enrollment period. A plan shall also credit any time that an eligible employee must wait before enrolling in the plan, including any postenrollment or employer-imposed waiting period.

However, if a person's employment has ended, the availability of health coverage offered through employment or sponsored by an employer has terminated, or an employer's contribution toward health coverage has terminated, a carrier shall credit the time the person was covered under creditable coverage if the person becomes eligible for health coverage offered through employment or sponsored by an employer within 180 days, exclusive of any waiting period, and applies for coverage under the succeeding plan within the applicable enrollment period.

(e) An individual's period of creditable coverage shall be certified pursuant to Section 2704(e) of Title XXVII of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-3(e)).

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 852) by Stats. 2013, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 1, Sec. 7. Effective September 30, 2013. Section operative January 1, 2014, pursuant to Section 10198.10.)