SB1397 Summary

• Requires health care insurers offering individual health plans in Arizona to guarantee coverage availability to eligible individuals and prohibits denial of enrollment based on preexisting conditions.

• Prohibits health care insurers from imposing any preexisting condition exclusions on the issuance, renewal, or scope of benefits for individual health plans.

• Allows insurers to restrict enrollment to open enrollment periods and special enrollment periods consistent with federal law, with the Director of Insurance and Financial Institutions to establish minimum open enrollment dates and criteria.

• Exempts grandfathered health plan coverage (plans maintained since March 23, 2010) and limited benefit coverage from these requirements.

• Conditional enactment: The section becomes effective only if a court of competent jurisdiction rules the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act unconstitutional by June 30, 2023, with the Attorney General to notify the legislative council by August 1, 2023.