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Notices

2024

2023

  • Public Notice
    Request for Written Input on the Future of Health Care Costs and Reimbursement in Alaska
  • Notice of Public Meeting
    The 2024 National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. Worker’s Compensation Prospective Loss Cost Filing
2022

  • Public Notices:
    Notices of Proposed Changes on Reciprocal Jurisdictions in the Regulations of the Division of Insurance

  • Notice of Public Hearing:
    The 2023 National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. Workers’ Compensation Prospective Loss Cost Filing
2021

  • Notice of Public Hearing: H21-01
    The 2022 National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. Workers' Compensation Prospective Loss Cost Filing
  • Notice
    Alaska Section 1332 Innovation Waiver Forum
2020

  • Press Release
    Workers’ Compensation Rates to Decrease in 2021
2019

Alaska Division of Insurance Upgrades Regulatory Computer Systems

On Thursday, December 12, 2019, the Alaska Division of Insurance will upgrade to the newest version of State Based Systems (SBS), a web-based application that supports state insurance functions. This transition will require the temporary shutdown of Alaska’s professional insurance licensing operations, including online applications submitted through NIPR.

On Friday, December 6, at 1:00 p.m., NIPR will stop accepting online submissions (including initial license applications, renewals, contact change requests, continuing education (CE) course and provider applications, and CE roster uploads) that affect the Alaska Division of Insurance SBS database. At 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 6, Alaska’s licensing operations will be unavailable.

On Thursday, December 12, at 5:00 a.m., the new SBS system upgrade will be complete, and the division’s professional licensing operations will resume. At that time, SBS and NIPR will begin accepting online submissions again.

We strongly recommend that all licensees and CE providers complete any sort of online submission well prior to December 6, at 1:00 p.m.

The Division of Insurance will remain open and fully staffed during this transition. If you have questions, or need assistance, please reach out to the division at 907-465-2515.


Summary of Comments Provided at the Public Scoping Hearing

On November 6, 2019, the Division of Insurance held a public scoping hearing in order to hear from individuals and insurers regarding any issues related to the division’s regulations and to hear proposals regarding possible changes to those regulations.

The division received comments and proposals concerning the difficulty in making total loss valuations under 3 AAC 26.080. They requested changes to 3 AAC 26.080 and 3 AAC 26.300 in order to make it easier for insurers to expand the search when attempting to provide a total loss valuation.

The division received comments relating to out-of-network benefit level under 3 AAC 26.110(f), requesting clarification in the regulations to demonstrate that the policy can provide benefits at differing levels.

The division received comments related to continuing education for Long Term Care insurers, stating that the 4-hour biennial requirement is overly burdensome for insurers and is not very beneficial to the public.

The division received comments relating to the annual notice to consumers under 3 AAC 26.615, requesting clarification if the notice requirement was still in effect given the amendments to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act in 2015.

The division will review the comments received and will consider them when making future regulatory changes. The division thanks everyone for their input.


Notice of Public Meetings

Notice is given that the Workers’ Compensation Review and Advisory Committee, formed under 3 AAC 30.200, will hold regular quarterly meetings to discuss matters relating to workers’ compensation insurance. The first three quarterly meetings will be held on the dates listed below, beginning at approximately 10:00 a.m. at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown, 820 West 7th Ave, Anchorage, Alaska (907-279-8000). The fourth quarterly meeting will be held in October, 2020 and notice will be issued after a location, date, and time are determined.

  • Thursday, January 16, 2020
  • Thursday, April 16, 2020
  • Thursday, July 16, 2020

Notice of Hearing

Plan of Acquisition of Alaska National Insurance Company by CopperPoint Insurance Company

The director, under the authority of AS 21.06.180 and AS 21.22.030, gives notice that the division of insurance is considering a plan of acquisition of control of Alaska National Insurance Company, a domiciled property and casualty insurer licensed under AS 21.69, by CopperPoint Insurance Company, an Arizona domiciled property and casualty insurer.

The Division of Insurance will hold a hearing in State of Alaska conference room 102, Atwood Building, 550 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska on November 14, 2019. The hearing will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and may be extended to accommodate those present before 3:00pm who do not have an opportunity to testify. Any interested person may present oral or written statements or arguments relevant to the director's consideration of the proposed action.


Notice of Public Scoping

Division of Insurance Seeks Input on Regulations that Need to be Changed or Repealed.

The Alaska Division of Insurance (division) is holding a public hearing to seek input about what changes are needed in 3 AAC, the regulations of the Division of Insurance, and what regulations can be repealed altogether.

The division is in the information gathering stage and seeks comments and recommendations from members of the public for proposed changes before a decision is made on what changes to make to 3 AAC. The division is not proposing any changes to the regulations for the hearing. There are no draft regulations to review. Please note that this is for all of 3AAC, and not specifically focused on the 80th Percentile Regulation. The division has held multiple hearings on that particular regulation, and will not be discussing it during this hearing.

The division invites you to attend the public hearing to be held on November 6, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. to share your oral or written comments on proposed changes to the regulations of the Division of Insurance. The hearing will be held in Conference Room 1560, at the Atwood Building, 550 West Seventh Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska and in Conference Room C on the ninth floor of the State Office Building, located at 333 Willoughby Ave., Juneau, Alaska.


Notice of Public Hearing

Notice is given that, under authority vested by AS 21.06.180, the Division of Insurance will hold a public hearing to solicit public testimony regarding the types of insurance for which insureds generally are unable to secure coverage from admitted insurers so that the director may issue an order under 3 AAC 25.040, which will update the surplus lines placement list.

Notice is given that any interested person may present oral or written statements or comments relevant to the proposed action at a hearing to be held at The Westmark Hotel, 813 Nobel St., Fairbanks, AK, 99701 at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2019. The hearing will be held from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Additionally, any interested person may present written comments relevant to the proposed action by writing to the Division of Insurance; Attention: Joanne Bennett; 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1560, Anchorage, AK 99501-3597, or via email to joanne.bennett@alaska.gov so that they are received no later than 4:30 p.m., Friday, November 15, 2019.

If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in this public hearing, please contact Sian Ng-Ashcraft at (907) 269-7892 no later than Monday, October 14, 2019, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.


Notice of Proposed Changes

Notice of Proposed Changes on Credit for Reinsurance, Internal Audit Functions, Corporate Governance Annual Disclosure, and Medicare Supplement Insurance in the Regulations of the Division of Insurance


Notice of Public Meeting

Notice is given that the Workers' Compensation Review and Advisory Committee's fourth quarterly meeting will be held October 17, 2019, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown, 820 West 7th Ave, Anchorage, Alaska (907-279-8000). The quarterly meeting is for the purpose of discussing matters relating to workers' compensation insurance.

The advisory committee is appointed by the Director of Insurance to assist and advise the director regarding matters relating to workers’ compensation insurance.

An Agenda for the meeting will be available at the meeting or may be obtained two weeks in advance of the meeting from:

National Council of Compensation Insurance, Inc.
Regulatory Operations
901 Peninsula Corporate Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33487-1362
Telephone (800) 622-4123
Fax (561) 893-1191

If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in this public meeting, please contact Sian Ng-Ashcroft at the Division’s Anchorage office at (907) 269-7892 or Relay Alaska assisted communications at 1 (800) 770-8973 or 711 no later than one week before the date of the meeting to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

Interested parties may participate in the meeting by teleconference by using the following toll-free number: 1-800-525-8529. When prompted, enter Conference Identification Number 737 288 699.


Notice of Public Hearing

The 2020 National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc.

Under AS 21.39.043, the director of the division of insurance is required to hold an administrative hearing to discuss whether a workers’ compensation prospective loss cost filing meets the requirements of AS 21.39 and whether the filing should be approved, disapproved, or modified, in whole or in part.

In accordance with AS 21.39.043, a hearing will be held on September 10, 2019 in conference room 102 (Ted Stevens room) located on the 1st floor of the Atwood Building, 550 West Seventh Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska. The hearing will begin at 1:30 p.m. and will end no later than 4:30 p.m. If you are unable to attend the hearing in person and would like to participate by teleconference, please call 1-800-315-6338 and enter the access code 42070 followed by the # (pound sign).

An interested party may participate in the hearing process as follows:

  • inspect the filing and supporting information and examine witnesses;
  • present written or oral testimony or evidence at the hearing;
  • apply for subpoenas to be issued by the director to compel attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence.

An interested party who plans to participate in the hearing should provide notice of participation to the division in advance of the hearing date. To assist in having a productive hearing, the division requests that written testimony and evidence or requests for modifications to the filing that will be presented at the hearing be submitted to the division and to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. (NCCI) on or before September 3, 2019.

All comments, written testimony, requests for modification, notice of participation, and other communication with the division related to this hearing should reference the 2020 NCCI Loss Cost Filing, and be sent to Division of Insurance; Attention: Michael Ricker; P.O. Box 110805; Juneau, AK 99811-0805; fax to (907) 465-3422; or e-mail to michael.ricker@alaska.gov.

If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodation in order to participate in the process, please contact Laura Watson at (907) 465-2597 no later than September 4, 2019 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

After the hearing, subject to the procedures under AS 21.39.043, the director will issue an order regarding the filing.


The Truth About New Medigap Changes Next Year

In 2015, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, a measure that makes changes to the sale of Medigap Plans C, F and F High Deductible after January 1, 2020. The law is the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).

There is a lot of misinformation being circulated about these MACRA changes. The purpose of this notice is to make clear what MACRA does and does not do and clarify and correct the false and misleading information provided by some groups, entities and individuals.


Notice of Public Forum

In July of 2017, the Alaska Division of Insurance was awarded a Section 1332 Innovation Waiver under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The waiver provided an estimated $322 million in federal funding to support the Alaska Reinsurance Program through 2022, which has helped to reduce premium costs and provide stability in Alaska’s individual health care insurance market. The waiver took effect on January 1, 2018. Under the specific terms and conditions of the award, the division has scheduled its annual forum to collect meaningful public comment on the progress of the waiver.

Alaska Section 1332 Innovation Waiver Forum

When:   April 16, 2019   |   9:00 am – 10:00 am (Alaska Time Zone)

Interested parties may attend the forum in person or by teleconference as listed below, or may submit comments in writing up to 5:00 pm Alaska Time Zone on April 16, 2019.

Where (two locations):

Alaska Division of Insurance
550 West 7th Avenue
Suite 1560
Anchorage, AK

 

Alaska Division of Insurance
9th Floor, State Office Building
Conference Room B
Juneau, AK

Teleconference Number:   1-800-315-6338 (Access Code: 42070#)

Submit written comments to:

Alaska Division of Insurance
P.O. Box 110805
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0805

Written comments are due by 5:00 pm Alaska Time Zone on April 16, 2019.

Email Address:   Insurance@Alaska.Gov


Consumer Notice Regarding Out-Of-Pocket Costs

Notice

The Alaska Division of Insurance invites consumers to learn more about how their health insurance company pays claims, and the out of pocket costs for which consumers are responsible.

In addition to premiums, consumers may also be obligated to pay deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and amounts in excess of the allowed amount. Descriptions of the out-of-pocket costs to consumers can be found in the notice.

We encourage all consumers to review their insurance plan policy or certificate to view plan benefit levels and the cost sharing structure in order to understand what charges your insurer pays, and which charges consumers pay. Consumers should consider all of the health care costs they will have, not just the premium they pay to their insurance company every month. Please note that a health care provider who fails to bill for or collect consumer portions of the cost sharing may be committing insurance fraud under AS 21.36.360(b).


Proposed Regulation Changes on Premium Tax in the Regulations of the Division of Insurance

The Alaska Division of Insurance proposes to adopt a regulation in Title 3 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with premium taxes on individual life insurance including the following: 3 AAC 21.580 is proposed to add a new section that would define Individual Life Insurance as it is used in AS 21.09.210(m) for purposes of determining the premium tax rate.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes. All comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Monday, March 25, 2019. Instructions for commenting and inquiring about the proposed regulation changes are provided in the notice.


Alaska Division of Insurance Urges Payment Flexibility for those Affected by the Federal Government Shutdown

The Alaska Division of Insurance advises consumers to initiate conversations with their insurers if they are affected by the federal government shutdown. The Division urges insurers to work with furloughed federal employees and affected contractors by providing flexibility on the timing of premium payments.

Alaska is the state with the highest number of federal workers per capita affected by the government shutdown, which is now in its fifth week. 'This is an event that is beyond their control and I am asking that insurers in the Alaska market work with those affected. It's also essential that insurers continue to process claims for those same policyholders, despite their temporary inability to pay premiums,' stated Division Director Lori Wing-Heier.

Many Alaska consumers in the Anchorage and Mat-Su area were already financially stressed due to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook the area November 30, 2018.

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2017

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