(A) There is created a nonprofit entity to be known as the South Carolina Health Insurance Pool. All insurers authorized to issue or provide health insurance in this State on or after the effective date of this chapter are members of the pool.

(B) The director or his designee shall give notice to all insurers of the time and place for the initial organizational meetings. The pool members shall select five directors to sit on the board. The Governor shall appoint three directors to the board. One must be appointed to represent consumers and two must be appointed to represent businesses, other than the insurance industry. In the event of a tie vote of the board on any matter, the issue must be presented to the director for his approval or disapproval. The selection of the administering insurer is subject to approval by the director. The board shall include, to the extent possible, at least two domestic insurance companies selling health insurance in South Carolina, including the domestic company selling the largest amount of health insurance.

(C) If, within sixty days of the organizational meeting the board is not selected, the director shall appoint the initial board.

(D) The board shall submit to the director or his designee a plan of operation for the pool and any amendments necessary or suitable to assure the fair, reasonable, and equitable administration of the pool. The director or his designee shall approve the plan of operation provided it is determined to be suitable to assure the fair, reasonable, and equitable administration of the pool and provides for the sharing of pool gains or losses on an equitable basis. The plan of operation is effective upon approval in writing by the director or his designee consistent with the date on which the coverage under this chapter must be made available. If the board fails to submit a suitable plan of operation within one hundred twenty days after the appointment of the board of directors, or at any time thereafter fails to submit suitable amendments to the plan, the department, after notice and hearing, shall promulgate reasonable regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this chapter. The regulations shall continue in force until modified by the department or superseded by a plan submitted by the board and approved by the director or his designee.

(E) In its plan the board shall:

(1) establish procedures for the handling and accounting of assets and monies of the pool;

(2) select an administering insurer in accordance with § 38-74-40 and establish procedures for filling vacancies on the board of directors;

(3) establish procedures for the collection of assessments from all members to provide for claims incurred or estimated to be incurred under the plan and for administrative expenses incurred or estimated to be incurred during the period for which the assessment is made. The level of payments must be established by the board, pursuant to § 38-74-50. Assessment occurs at the end of each fiscal year. The board may provide also for interim assessments against members of the pool if necessary to assure the financial capability of the pool. Assessments are due and payable within thirty days of receipt of the assessment notice;

(4) develop and implement a program to publicize the existence of the plan, the eligibility requirements, and procedures for enrollment, and to maintain public awareness of the plan.

(F) The pool has the general powers granted under the laws of this State to insurance companies licensed to transact accident and health insurance including, but not limited to, the specific authority to:

(1) enter into contracts necessary to carry out the provisions of this act, including the authority, with the approval of the director or his designee, to enter into contracts with similar pools of other states for the joint performance of common administrative functions, or with persons or other organizations for the performance of administrative functions;

(2) sue or be sued, including taking legal actions necessary or proper for recovery of assessments for, on behalf of, or against pool members;

(3) take legal action as necessary to avoid the payment of improper claims against the pool or the coverage provided by or through the pool;

(4) establish appropriate rates, rate schedules, rate adjustments, expense allowances, claim reserve formulas, and any other actuarial function appropriate to the operation of the pool;

(5) assess members of the pool in accordance with the provisions of this act;

(6) subject to the approval of the director or his designee, issue policies of insurance in accordance with the requirements of this chapter;

(7) appoint from among members appropriate legal, actuarial, and other committees as necessary to provide technical assistance in the operation of the pool, policy, and other contract design, and any other function within the authority of the pool;

(8) borrow money to effect the purposes of this act. Notes or other evidence of indebtedness of the pool not in default are legal investments for domestic insurers and may be carried as admitted assets. The pool may not borrow money unless there is a net loss of the operation of the pool which exhausts the assessments of the pool for that year. No money may be borrowed in excess of the loss after assessments have been exhausted. No more than three million dollars may be borrowed in any one year, and the total amount borrowed at any one time may not exceed five million dollars. The members of the pool are responsible for any debt which is incurred by the pool;

(9) cause to be audited on an independent basis every two years the finances of the pool and submit the report of audit to the department who shall submit it to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee with recommendations on the operations of the pool.

(G) In addition to its general powers, the board may take measures to contain insurance costs subject to the approval of the director or his designee, including, but not limited to:

(1) provide for and employ cost containment measures and requirements, including, but not limited to, preadmission screening, second surgical opinion, concurrent utilization review, and individual case management for the purpose of making the benefit plan more cost effective;

(2) design, utilize, contract, or otherwise arrange for delivery of cost effective health care services, including establishing or contracting with preferred provider organizations, health maintenance organizations, or other limited network provider arrangements.