Each participating employer, as a condition of participation in a multiple employer self-insured health plan, shall execute an agreement by which the employer agrees to personally pay all claims for benefits covered under the multiple employer self-insured health plan which are incurred by his or its covered employees and their covered dependents, but which the plan has failed to pay. Such agreements shall be made on forms prescribed by the director and shall extend to all unpaid claims for benefits incurred by the employer's employees and their dependents during the time such employees and dependents were covered under the multiple employer self-insured health plan. Neither failure of a participating employer to execute an agreement, nor failure of the plan to require such execution, shall excuse the employer from liability for unpaid claims incurred by covered employees and dependents. An employer shall be deemed to have notice of the requirements of this section, and upon joining a multiple employer self-insured health plan, the employer shall be deemed to have agreed to liability for unpaid claims of his covered employees and their dependents in the same manner as if an agreement had been executed.
The multiple employer self-insured health plan shall provide each participating employer annual notice of the participating employer's responsibilities. This notice shall be in a form approved by the director or his designee and shall state that the participating employer is responsible for all claims incurred by the participating employer's covered employees and their covered dependents that the multiple employer self-insured health plan has failed to pay. The multiple employer self-insured health plan must obtain written certification from each participating employer annually that the participating employer understands that it is liable for covered claims which the multiple employer self-insured health plan fails to pay. The multiple employer self-insured health plan shall file an affidavit signed by the multiple employer self-insured health plan's chief executive officer that it has obtained each participating employer's certification. The multiple employer self-insured health plan shall maintain copies of each participating employer's annual certification for the duration of the multiple employer self-insured health plan. Failure of the multiple employer self-insured health plan to comply with any of its obligations under this section shall not be a defense to, or in any way diminish, an employer's obligation to personally pay all claims for benefits covered under the multiple employer self-insured health plan which are incurred by his or its covered employees and their covered dependents, but which the plan has failed to pay.
HISTORY: 2013 Act No. 88, Section 1, eff June 13, 2013.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 41 - Multiple Employer Self-insured Health Plan
Section 38-41-10. Multiple employer self-insured health plan defined.
Section 38-41-20. License required; transaction of business; exemptions.
Section 38-41-25. Agent, broker or administrator must give notice of transacting business.
Section 38-41-30. License application; fee.
Section 38-41-35. Hold harmless agreements.
Section 38-41-40. Filing of bylaws, schedules of benefits, and agreements.
Section 38-41-45. Definitions; denial of continued access to coverage.
Section 38-41-50. Excess stop-loss coverage required.
Section 38-41-60. Funds must be held in trust.
Section 38-41-70. Loss reserve; surplus account.
Section 38-41-80. Records; inspection and examination.
Section 38-41-90. Dissolution of plan.
Section 38-41-100. Regulations.
Section 38-41-110. Revocation or suspension of license; commencement of delinquency proceedings.