§ 2590.731 Preemption; State flexibility; construction.

(a) Continued applicability of State law with respect to health insurance issuers. Subject to paragraph (b) of this section and except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, part 7 of subtitle B of Title I of the Act is not to be construed to supersede any provision of State law which establishes, implements, or continues in effect any standard or requirement solely relating to health insurance issuers in connection with group health insurance coverage except to the extent that such standard or requirement prevents the application of a requirement of this part.

(b) Continued preemption with respect to group health plans. Nothing in part 7 of subtitle B of Title I of the Act affects or modifies the provisions of section 514 of the Act with respect to group health plans.

(c) Special rules —

(1) In general. Subject to paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the provisions of part 7 of subtitle B of Title I of the Act relating to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer supersede any provision of State law which establishes, implements, or continues in effect a standard or requirement applicable to imposition of a preexisting condition exclusion specifically governed by section 701 which differs from the standards or requirements specified in such section.

(2) Exceptions. Only in relation to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, the provisions of this part do not supersede any provision of State law to the extent that such provision requires special enrollment periods in addition to those required under section 701(f) of the Act.

(d) Definitions —

(1) State law. For purposes of this section the term State law includes all laws, decisions, rules, regulations, or other State action having the effect of law, of any State. A law of the United States applicable only to the District of Columbia is treated as a State law rather than a law of the United States.

(2) State. For purposes of this section the term State includes a State (as defined in § 2590.701–2), any political subdivisions of a State, or any agency or instrumentality of either.

[69 FR 78778, Dec. 30, 2004; 70 FR 21147, Apr. 25, 2005; 79 FR 10312, Feb. 24, 2014]