Section 10273.6.

All individual health benefit plans, except for short-term limited duration insurance, shall be renewable with respect to all eligible individuals or dependents at the option of the individual except as follows:

(a) (1) For nonpayment of the required premiums by the individual if the individual has been duly notified and billed for the premium and at least a 30-day grace period has elapsed since the date of notification or, if longer, the period of time required for notice and any other requirements pursuant to Section 2703, 2712, or 2742 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Secs. 300gg-2, 300gg-12, and 300gg-42) and any subsequent rules or regulations has elapsed.

(2) Pursuant to paragraph (1), the disability insurer shall continue to provide coverage as required by the policyholder's, certificate holder's, or other insured's policy during the period described in paragraph (1).

(b) The insurer demonstrates fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact under the terms of the policy by the individual.

(c) Movement of the individual contractholder outside the service area but only if coverage is terminated uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of covered individuals.

(d) If the disability insurer ceases to provide or arrange for the provision of health care services for new individual health benefit plans in this state; provided, however, that the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) Notice of the decision to cease new or existing individual health benefit plans in this state is provided to the commissioner and to the individual policy or contractholder at least 180 days prior to discontinuation of that coverage.

(2) Individual health benefit plans shall not be canceled for 180 days after the date of the notice required under paragraph (1) and for that business of a disability insurer that remains in force, any disability insurer that ceases to offer for sale new individual health benefit plans shall continue to be governed by this section with respect to business conducted under this section.

(3) A disability insurer that ceases to write new individual health benefit plans in this state after the effective date of this section shall be prohibited from offering for sale individual health benefit plans in this state for a period of five years from the date of notice to the commissioner.

(e) If the disability insurer withdraws an individual health benefit plan from the market; provided, that the disability insurer notifies all affected individuals and the commissioner at least 90 days prior to the discontinuation of these plans, and that the disability insurer makes available to the individual all health benefit plans that it makes available to new individual businesses without regard to a health status-related factor of enrolled individuals or individuals who may become eligible for the coverage.

(f) If coverage is made available in the individual market through a bona fide association, the membership of the individual in the association on the basis of which the coverage is provided, ceases, but only if that coverage is terminated under this subdivision uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of covered individuals.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 658, Sec. 12. Effective January 1, 2011.)