MS HB657

Prohibits health, life, and disability income insurers from denying, canceling, limiting, or adding premium surcharges to insurance coverage based on an applicant's or insured's status as a subject of abuse, including domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or false imprisonment by a family member, household member, intimate partner, or caretaker.

Classifies the unauthorized disclosure or transfer of confidential abuse information—including abuse status, abuse-related medical conditions, and the address/telephone number of abuse subjects—as unfair discrimination, with limited exceptions for health care providers, court orders, reinsurers, and certain business necessities requiring written confidentiality agreements.

Requires insurers taking adverse action based on a medical condition they know or have reason to know is abuse-related to provide written justification and demonstrate the action is based on sound actuarial principles, applies equally regardless of abuse status, and does not treat abuse status as an underwriting criterion.

Mandates that all covered insurers develop and distribute written policies and procedures for protecting the safety and privacy of abuse subjects when processing applications, investigating claims, or taking any other policy-related actions.

Authorizes the Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance to investigate written complaints and enforce violations through license suspension or revocation, civil penalties, cease and desist orders, injunctive relief, restitution, or criminal referral, with an effective date of July 1, 2010.