Certificate of authority required.

A person, corporation, partnership, or other entity may not operate a prepaid limited health service organization in this state without obtaining and maintaining a certificate of authority from the office pursuant to this act. A political subdivision of this state which is operating an emergency medical services system and offers a prepaid ambulance service plan as a part of its emergency medical services system shall be exempt from the provisions of this act and all other provisions of the insurance code. An insurer, while authorized to transact health insurance in this state, or a health maintenance organization possessing a valid certificate of authority in this state, may also provide services under this act without additional qualification or authority, but shall be otherwise subject to the applicable provisions of this act.