AGENT COMPENSATION.

(a) A small employer health benefit plan issuer shall pay the same commission, percentage of premium, or other amount to an agent for renewal of a small employer health benefit plan as the issuer paid for original placement of the plan, except that the issuer may increase compensation for renewal of a plan to reflect an increase in the cost of living or similar factors.

(b) A small employer health benefit plan issuer may not implement, directly or indirectly, agent commission schedules that vary the level of agent commissions based on the size of the group or otherwise reduce access to small employer health benefit plans.

(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a small employer health benefit plan issuer may:

(1) vary agent commission amounts or percentages based on group size if the variation in the commission amounts or percentages are inversely related to the size of the group;

(2) vary agent commission amounts or percentages based on the cumulative premium paid by a single small employer over a specific period if the variation in the commission amounts or percentages are inversely related to the cumulative premium paid during the period; or

(3) pay agent commissions as a percentage of premiums charged to a small employer if the commission percentage is based on all premiums paid by the small employer.

(d) A small employer health benefit plan issuer may not use an agent compensation schedule that provides compensation in a specific dollar amount for each individual covered during a specified period or for each group of individuals covered during a specified period.