If you buy health insurance on the individual market, without help from an employer, you may want to know what Montana is doing to protect you from unfair and unnecessary premium rate increases. Here’s a summary of the Montana laws that govern rate increases.
- Montana does not require health insurers to file their rate increases with the Department of Insurance.
- Insurers may not increase premiums more than once in a 12-month period. Mont. Code Ann. § 33-22-107. Health insurers must give policyholders at least 60 days’ advance notice of a change in rates, terms or benefits. Mont. Code Ann. § 33-22-107.
- HMO’s may not increase premiums more than once in a 12-month period. Mont. Code Ann. § 33-31-313. The Department of Public Health and Human Services is responsible for protecting consumer interests relating to HMO’s. Mont. Code Ann. §33-1-102.