FL H0543

Amends Florida law to revise health benefit plan requirements for small employers under the Employee Health Care Access Act (s. 627.6699, F.S.).

Late enrollees for employers with fewer than two employees may be excluded from coverage for up to 24 months if not continuously covered by creditable coverage within 63 days before the effective date of new coverage.

Small employer carriers offering health benefits without preexisting condition exclusions may require employers to have had no health insurance coverage for employees for at least 6 months.

Small employer carriers must apply minimum participation and contribution requirements uniformly among groups of the same size, and may not increase these requirements after acceptance unless the employer size changes.

Health benefit plans must be offered to all eligible employees and their dependents; carriers cannot modify plans to restrict or exclude coverage for specific diseases or conditions; an initial 30-day enrollment period and annual 30-day open enrollment period are required.

Effective date: July 1, 2016.