33-31-402. Suspension or revocation of certificate of authority. - Montana Statutes

     33-31-402. Suspension or revocation of certificate of authority. (1) The commissioner may suspend or revoke any certificate of authority issued to a health maintenance organization under this chapter if the commissioner finds that any of the following conditions exist:
     (a) The health maintenance organization is operating in contravention of its basic organizational document or in a manner contrary to that described in any other information submitted under 33-31-201 and the operation adversely affects the health maintenance organization's ability to provide benefits and operate under the application approved by the commissioner, unless amendments to the submissions have been filed with and approved by the commissioner.
     (b) The health maintenance organization issues evidences of coverage or uses a schedule of charges for health care services that do not comply with the requirements of 33-31-301.
     (c) The health maintenance organization does not provide or arrange for basic health care services.
     (d) The health maintenance organization is no longer financially responsible and may reasonably be expected to be unable to meet its obligations to enrollees or prospective enrollees.
     (e) The health maintenance organization has failed to implement a mechanism affording the enrollees an opportunity to participate in matters of policy and operation under 33-31-222.
     (f) The health maintenance organization has failed to implement the complaint system required by 33-31-303 to resolve valid complaints in a reasonable manner.
     (g) The health maintenance organization or any person on its behalf has advertised or merchandised its services in an untrue, misrepresentative, misleading, deceptive, or unfair manner.
     (h) The continued operation of the health maintenance organization would be hazardous to its enrollees.
     (i) The health maintenance organization has otherwise failed to substantially comply with this chapter.
     (2) The commissioner may suspend or revoke a certificate of authority only if the commissioner complies with the requirements of 33-31-404.
     (3) When the certificate of authority of a health maintenance organization is suspended, the health maintenance organization may not, during the period of suspension, enroll any additional enrollees except newborn infants or other newly acquired dependents of existing enrollees and may not engage in any advertising or solicitation.
     (4) If the commissioner revokes the certificate of authority of a health maintenance organization, the health maintenance organization shall proceed, immediately following the effective date of the order of revocation, to wind up its affairs and may not transact further business except as may be essential to the orderly conclusion of its affairs. It may not engage in further advertising or solicitation following the effective date of the order of revocation. The commissioner may by written order permit further operation of the health maintenance organization if the commissioner finds further operation to be in the best interest of enrollees to the extent that enrollees will be afforded the greatest practical opportunity to obtain continuing health care coverage.

     History: En. Sec. 18, Ch. 457, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 437, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1252, Ch. 56, L. 2009.