<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 31.10.37.04" title_num="31" subtitle_num="10" chapter_num="37" heading="Delivery Requirements for Certificates.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>A carrier shall deliver a certificate under a group health insurance contract, a group nonprofit health service plan contract, a group health maintenance organization contract, or a group dental plan organization contract to the:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Certificate holder within 60 days of the effective date of the certificate holder's coverage; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Group contract holder within 60 days of the effective date of the certificate holder's effective date of coverage, for delivery to each certificate holder.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>A carrier may satisfy the requirement of §A of this regulation by making the certificate available to the certificate holder on the Internet, if:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Written notice of the availability of the certificate on the Internet is provided to the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Certificate holder in writing within 60 days of the date of the certificate holder's effective date of coverage; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Group contract holder or insurance producer of record within 60 days of the effective date of the certificate holder's effective date of coverage, for the group contract holder or insurance producer of record to provide delivery to the certificate holder; and</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The written notice described in §B(1) of this regulation includes an option for the certificate holder to request the certificate be delivered to the certificate holder by mail.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>The certificate requested under §B of this regulation shall be made available in paper form within 60 days of the receipt by the carrier of the request for the paper certificate from the certificate holder.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>If a carrier cannot comply with the requirements of §A of this regulation because the group contract holder delays providing the necessary information to the carrier to issue the certificate, the carrier's time limit to provide the certificate is extended to the shorter of:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>30 days from the date the employer group provides the information to the carrier; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>120 days from the effective date of the employer group contract.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>