641.225  Surplus requirements.--

(1)  Each health maintenance organization shall at all times maintain a minimum surplus in an amount which is the greater of $500,000 or 10 percent of total liabilities. All health maintenance organizations which have a valid certificate of authority before October 1, 1988, or an entity described in subsection (3), and which do not meet the minimum surplus requirement, shall increase their surplus as follows:

(2)  The department shall not issue a certificate of authority, except as provided in subsection (3), unless the health maintenance organization has a minimum surplus in an amount which is the greater of:

(a)  $1,500,000;

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

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

(3)

(a)  An entity providing prepaid capitated services which is authorized under s. 409.912(3)(a) and which applies for a certificate of authority is subject to the minimum surplus requirements set forth in subsection (1), unless the entity is backed by the full faith and credit of the county in which it is located.

(b)  An entity providing prepaid capitated services which is authorized under s. 409.912(3)(b) or (c), and which applies for a certificate of authority is subject to the minimum surplus requirements set forth in s. 409.912.

(4)  The department 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.

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

(6)  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 department 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 department that the cancellation of the guarantee will not result in the insolvency of the health maintenance organization and the department 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 department may, as it deems necessary, require quarterly financial statements from the guaranteeing organization.