§27-21A-17. Suspension or revocation of certificate of authority.

(a) The commissioner in consultation with and with the approval of the State Health Officer, where necessary, may suspend or revoke any certificate of authority issued to a health maintenance organization under this chapter if he finds that any of the following conditions exist:

(1) The health maintenance organization is operating significantly in contravention of its basic organizational document or in a manner contrary to that described in any other information submitted under Section 27-21A-2, unless amendments to such submissions have been filed with the commissioner and the State Health Officer and approved by the commissioner;

(2) The health maintenance organization issues evidence of coverage or uses a schedule of charges for health care services which do not comply with requirements of Section 27-21A-7;

(3) The health maintenance organization does not provide or arrange for basic health care services;

(4) The State Health Officer certifies to the commissioner that:

a. The health maintenance organization does not meet the requirements of subdivision (a)(2) of Section 27-21A-3; or

b. The health maintenance organization is unable to fulfill its obligations to furnish health care services;

(5) The health maintenance organization is no longer financially responsible and may reasonably be expected to be unable to meet its obligations to enrollees or prospective enrollees;

(6) The health maintenance organization has failed to implement the complaint system required by Section 27-21A-10 in a reasonable manner to facilitate the resolution of valid complaints;

(7) The health maintenance organization, or any person on its behalf, has advertised or merchandised its services in an untrue, misrepresentative, misleading, deceptive, or unfair manner;

(8) The continued operation of the health maintenance organization would be hazardous to its enrollees;

(9) The health maintenance organization has otherwise failed substantially to comply with this chapter.

(b) A certificate of authority shall be suspended or revoked only after compliance with the requirements of Section 27-21A-20.

(c) When the certificate of authority of a health maintenance organization is suspended, the health maintenance organization shall not, during the period of such suspension, enroll any additional enrollees except newborn children or other newly acquired dependents of existing enrollees, and shall not engage in any advertising or solicitation whatsoever.

(d) When the certificate of authority of a health maintenance organization is revoked, such organization shall proceed, immediately following the effective date of the order of revocation, to wind up its affairs, and shall conduct no further business except as may be essential to the orderly conclusion of the affairs of such organization. It shall engage in no further advertising, solicitation, or enrollment whatsoever. The commissioner may, by written order, permit such further operation of the organization as he may find to be in the best interest of enrollees, to the end that enrollees will be afforded the greatest practical opportunity to obtain continuing health care coverage.

(Acts 1986, No. 86-471, p. 854, §17.)