<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gin" article_name="Insurance" number="15-418" title_number="15" title_name="Health Insurance" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Eligibility for Coverage; Continuation and Conversion of Policies">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Carrier” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an insurer;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a nonprofit health service plan; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a health maintenance organization.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Child dependent” means an individual who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the grandchild of the insured; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a child who is entitled to dependent coverage under § 15–403.1 of this subtitle;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is unmarried; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>is under the age of 25 years.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This section applies to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>each policy of individual or group health insurance that is issued in the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>each contract that is issued in the State by a nonprofit health service plan; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>each contract that is issued in the State by a health maintenance organization.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, this section does not apply to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a contract covering one or more, or any combination of the following:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>coverage only for loss caused by an accident;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>disability coverage;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>credit–only insurance; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>long–term care coverage; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the following benefits if they are provided under a separate contract:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>dental coverage;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>vision coverage;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Medicare supplement insurance;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>coverage limited to benefits for a specified disease or diseases;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>travel accident or sickness coverage; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>fixed indemnity limited benefit insurance that does not provide benefits on an expense incurred basis.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Each policy or contract subject to this section that provides coverage for dependents shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>include coverage for a child dependent;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>provide the same health insurance benefits to a child dependent that are available to any other covered dependent; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>provide health insurance benefits to a child dependent at the same rate or premium applicable to any other covered dependent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>This section does not limit or alter any right to dependent coverage or to the continuation of coverage that is otherwise provided for in this article.</text>
  </level>
</section>
