In light of the emergency orders issued by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon has issued a series of Emergency Rules directed at the Louisiana insurance industry. A brief summary of the pertinent parts of those Emergency Rules are as follows:
Emergency Rule 36 – Requires, among other provisions, that all health insurance issuers waive all cost-sharing copayments, coinsurance and deductibles for screening and testing for COVID-19, as well as any prior authorization requirements or restrictions for screening and diagnostic testing for COVID-19.
Emergency Rule 37 – Provides a limited waiver of certain geographic accessibility requirements of the Insurance Code for services related to the testing or treatment of COVID-19. This rule also requires health insurance issuers to waive any coverage limitations restricting telemedicine access to providers, and provide expanded telemedicine services coverage.
Emergency Rule 38 – Provides for the temporary licensing of certain insurance producers because of the closure of testing sites and related matters.
Emergency Rule 39 – Implements a procedure by which insureds who operate commercial enterprises in Louisiana can make demand upon their admitted insurers to allow for either a mid-term audit of payroll of the insured or a physical audit by the insurer of auditable policies to appropriately and immediately adjust the premium resulting from the inability of commercial enterprises to operate in the normal course of
business.
Emergency Rule 40 – Enacts a moratorium on policy cancellations and non-renewals for policyholders in Louisiana during the COVID-19 pandemic, and addresses related matters.
Emergency Rule 41 – Requires insurers to cover medical surge-related patient transfers in Louisiana during the COVID-19 outbreak, restricts authorization of certain transfers, and provides for related matters.
Emergency Rule 43 – Provides for the temporary licensing of adjusters because of the closure of testing sites and related matters.