HB 675

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to Medicare supplement policies; amending
3	s. 627.6741, F.S.; expanding eligibility to enroll in a
4	Medicare supplement policy to certain additional
5	individuals; expanding a prohibition against exclusions
6	based on preexisting conditions; providing an effective
7	date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 627.6741, Florida
12	Statutes, is amended to read:
13	627.6741  Issuance, cancellation, nonrenewal, and
14	replacement.--
15	(1)  An insurer issuing Medicare supplement policies in
16	this state shall offer the opportunity of enrolling in a
17	Medicare supplement policy, without conditioning the issuance or
18	effectiveness of the policy on, and without discriminating in
19	the price of the policy based on, the medical or health status
20	or receipt of health care by the individual:
21	(a)  To any individual who is 65 years of age or older and
22	who resides in this state, upon the request of the individual
23	during the 6-month period beginning with the first month in
24	which the individual has attained 65 years of age and is
25	enrolled in Medicare part B; or
26	(b)  To any individual who is 65 years of age or older and
27	is enrolled in Medicare part B, who resides in this state, upon
28	the request of the individual during the 2-month period
29	following termination of coverage under a group health insurance
30	policy; or
31	(c)  To any individual who resides in this state, is under
32	65 years of age, is eligible for Medicare due to having an end-
33	stage renal disease, and is enrolled in Medicare part B, upon
34	the request of the individual within 6 months after becoming
35	eligible for Medicare or by January, 2010, whichever is later.
36
37	A Medicare supplement policy issued to an individual under
38	paragraph (a), or paragraph (b), or paragraph (c) may not
39	exclude benefits based on a preexisting condition if the
40	individual has a continuous period of creditable coverage, as
41	defined in s. 627.6561(5), of at least 6 months as of the date
42	of application for coverage.
43	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.