REFUSAL TO RENEW; DISCONTINUATION OF COVERAGE.

(a) A small or large employer health benefit plan issuer may elect to refuse to renew all small or large employer health benefit plans delivered or issued for delivery by the issuer in this state or in a geographic service area. The issuer shall notify:

(1) the commissioner of the election not later than the 180th day before the date coverage under the first plan terminates under this subsection; and

(2) each affected covered small or large employer not later than the 180th day before the date coverage terminates for that employer.

(b) A small employer health benefit plan issuer that elects under this section to refuse to renew all small employer health benefit plans in this state or in a geographic service area may not write a new small employer health benefit plan in this state or in the geographic service area, as applicable, before the fifth anniversary of the date notice is provided to the commissioner under Subsection (a).

(c) A large employer health benefit plan issuer that elects under this section to refuse to renew all large employer health benefit plans in this state or in a geographic service area may not write a new large employer health benefit plan in this state or in the geographic service area, as applicable, before the fifth anniversary of the date notice is provided to the commissioner under Subsection (a).

(d) A small or large employer health benefit plan issuer may elect to discontinue a particular type of small or large employer coverage only if the issuer:

(1) before the 90th day preceding the date of the discontinuation of the coverage:

(A) provides notice of the discontinuation to the employer and the commissioner; and

(B) offers to each employer the option to purchase other small or large employer coverage offered by the issuer at the time of the discontinuation; and

(2) acts uniformly without regard to the claims experience of the employer or any health status related factors of eligible employees, eligible employees' dependents, or new employees or dependents who may become eligible for the coverage.