Surplus requirements.

(1) Each health maintenance organization shall at all times maintain a minimum surplus in an amount that is the greater of $1,500,000, or 10 percent of total liabilities, or 2 percent of total annualized premium.

(2) The office shall not issue a certificate of authority unless the health maintenance organization has a minimum surplus in an amount which is the greater of:

(a) Ten percent of their total liabilities based on their startup projection as set forth in this part;

(b) Two percent of their total projected premiums based on their startup projection as set forth in this part; or

(c) $1,500,000, plus all startup losses, excluding profits, projected to be incurred on their startup projection until the projection reflects statutory net profits for 12 consecutive months.

(3) The commission may adopt rules to set uniform standards and criteria for the early warning that the continued operation of any health maintenance organization might be hazardous to its subscribers, creditors, or the general public, and to set standards for evaluating the financial condition of any health maintenance organization.

(4) A surplus note shall not be used to initially capitalize a health maintenance organization.

(5) In lieu of having any minimum surplus, the health maintenance organization may provide a written guarantee to assure payment of covered subscriber claims and all other liabilities of the health maintenance organization, provided that the written guarantee is made by a guaranteeing organization which:

(a) Has been in operation for 5 years or more and has a surplus, not including land, buildings, and equipment, of the greater of $2 million or 2 times the minimum surplus requirements of the health maintenance organization. In any determination of the financial condition of the guaranteeing organization, the definitions of assets, liabilities, and surplus set forth in this part shall apply, except that investments in or loans to any organizations guaranteed by the guaranteeing organization shall be excluded from surplus. If the guaranteeing organization is sponsoring more than one organization, the surplus requirement shall be increased by a multiple equal to the number of such organizations.

(b) Submits a guarantee that is approved by the office as meeting the requirements of this part, provided that the written guarantee contains a provision which requires that the guarantee be irrevocable unless the guaranteeing organization can demonstrate to the office that the cancellation of the guarantee will not result in the insolvency of the health maintenance organization and the office approves cancellation of the guarantee.

(c) Initially submits its audited financial statements, certified by an independent certified public accountant, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, covering its two most current annual accounting periods.

(d) Submits annually, within 3 months after the end of its fiscal year, an audited financial statement certified by an independent certified public accountant, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The office may, as it deems necessary, require quarterly financial statements from the guaranteeing organization.

(6) A health maintenance organization that is authorized in this state and one or more other states, jurisdictions, or countries is subject to ss. 624.4085 and 624.40851.