(A) In general. Except as provided in this Section, if a health insurance issuer offers health insurance coverage in the small or large group market in connection with a group health plan, the issuer must renew or continue in force such coverage at the option of the plan sponsor of the plan.
     (B) General exceptions. A health insurance issuer may nonrenew or discontinue health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan in the small or large group market based only on one or more of the following:
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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 97/30

  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.36
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

        (1) Nonpayment of premiums. The plan sponsor has
    
failed to pay premiums or contributions in accordance with the terms of the health insurance coverage or the issuer has not received timely premium payments.
        (2) Fraud. The plan sponsor has performed an act or
    
practice that constitutes fraud or made an intentional misrepresentation of material fact under the terms of the coverage.
        (3) Violation of participation or contribution rules.
    
The plan sponsor has failed to comply with a material plan provision relating to employer contribution or group participation rules, as permitted under Section 40(D) in the case of the small group market or pursuant to applicable State law in the case of the large group market.
        (4) Termination of coverage. The issuer is ceasing
    
to offer coverage in such market in accordance with subsection (C) and applicable State law.
        (5) Movement outside service area. In the case of a
    
health insurance issuer that offers health insurance coverage in the market through a network plan, there is no longer any enrollee in connection with such plan who lives, resides, or works in the service area of the issuer (or in the area for which the issuer is authorized to do business) and, in the case of the small group market, the issuer would deny enrollment with respect to such plan under Section 40(C)(1)(a).
        (6) Association membership ceases. In the case of
    
health insurance coverage that is made available in the small or large group market (as the case may be) only through one or more bona fide association, the membership of an employer in the association (on the basis of which the coverage is provided) ceases but only if such coverage is terminated under this paragraph uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor relating to any covered individual.
    (C) Requirements for uniform termination of coverage.
        (1) Particular type of coverage not offered. In any
    
case in which an issuer decides to discontinue offering a particular type of group health insurance coverage offered in the small or large group market, coverage of such type may be discontinued by the issuer in accordance with applicable State law in such market only if:
            (a) the issuer provides notice to each plan
        
sponsor provided coverage of this type in such market (and participants and beneficiaries covered under such coverage) of such discontinuation at least 90 days prior to the date of the discontinuation of such coverage;
            (b) the issuer offers to each plan sponsor
        
provided coverage of this type in such market, the option to purchase all (or, in the case of the large group market, any) other health insurance coverage currently being offered by the issuer to a group health plan in such market; and
            (c) in exercising the option to discontinue
        
coverage of this type and in offering the option of coverage under subparagraph (b), the issuer acts uniformly without regard to the claims experience of those sponsors or any health status-related factor relating to any participants or beneficiaries who may become eligible for such coverage.
        (2) Discontinuance of all coverage.
            (a) In general. In any case in which a health
        
insurance issuer elects to discontinue offering all health insurance coverage in the small group market or the large group market, or both markets, in Illinois, health insurance coverage may be discontinued by the issuer only in accordance with Illinois law and if:
                (i) the issuer provides notice to the
            
Department and to each plan sponsor (and participants and beneficiaries covered under such coverage) of such discontinuation at least 180 days prior to the date of the discontinuation of such coverage; and
                (ii) all health insurance issued or delivered
            
for issuance in Illinois in such market (or markets) are discontinued and coverage under such health insurance coverage in such market (or markets) is not renewed.
            (b) Prohibition on market reentry. In the case
        
of a discontinuation under subparagraph (a) in a market, the issuer may not provide for the issuance of any health insurance coverage in the Illinois market involved during the 5-year period beginning on the date of the discontinuation of the last health insurance coverage not so renewed.
    (D) Exception for uniform modification of coverage. At the time of coverage renewal, a health insurance issuer may modify the health insurance coverage for a product offered to a group health plan:
        (1) in the large group market; or
        (2) in the small group market if, for coverage that
    
is available in such market other than only through one or more bona fide associations, such modification is consistent with State law and effective on a uniform basis among group health plans with that product.
    (E) Application to coverage offered only through associations. In applying this Section in the case of health insurance coverage that is made available by a health insurance issuer in the small or large group market to employers only through one or more associations, a reference to “plan sponsor” is deemed, with respect to coverage provided to an employer member of the association, to include a reference to such employer.
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