Section 21.42.385. Dental, vision, and hearing coverage.

   (a) Except for a fraternal benefit society, a health care insurer that offers, issues for delivery, delivers, or renews in this state a health care insurance plan, including a Medicare supplement policy to the extent not prohibited by 42 U.S.C. 1395 (Social Security Act), shall offer to each plan sponsor or individual minimum dental, vision, and hearing coverage described in (b) of this section. Coverage required under this subsection may be offered as a rider or in a separate policy.
   (b) The minimum coverage required under (a) of this section
        (1) may be provided under contract with another health care insurer;
        (2) may not be less than the dental, vision, and hearing coverage provided on July 1, 2009, to an individual entitled to medical benefits under AS 39.35.535 (public employees' retirement system of Alaska); and
        (3) shall be adjusted by the director on July 1, 2012, and every three years thereafter to correspond to changes in coverage provided to individuals entitled to medical benefits under AS 39.35.535.
   (c) This section does not apply to a health care insurer that has written less than $300,000 in premiums in the previous calendar year. A health care insurer exempt under this subsection shall disclose the exemption when offering, issuing for delivery, delivering, or renewing a health care insurance plan or an excepted benefits contract, and shall advise the individual covered under the plan that health care insurers that have written more than $300,000 in premiums in the previous calendar year are required to offer coverage under (a) and (b) of this section.
   (d) This section does not require an insurer who offers only group insurance coverage under AS 21.54 to offer dental, vision, and hearing coverage to an individual.

Notes

History

(Sec. 1 ch 101 SLA 1992; am Sec. 53, 54 ch 56 SLA 1996; am Sec. 54 ch 81 SLA 1997; am Sec. 19 ch 30 SLA 2009)