If a qualified alliance, or an alliance that, based upon evidence of interest satisfactory to the superintendent of insurance, will be a qualified alliance within a reasonable time, submits a request for a proposal on a health benefit plan to at least three insurers and does not receive at least one reasonably responsive proposal within ninety days from the date the last such request is submitted, the superintendent, at the request of such alliance, may require that insurers offer proposals to such alliance for health benefit plans for the small employers within such alliance. Such proposals shall include such coverage and benefits for such premiums, as shall take into account the functions provided by the alliance and the economies of scale, and have other terms and provisions as are approved by the superintendent, consistent with the purposes and standards set forth in section 1731.02 of the Revised Code. In making the determination as to which insurers shall be asked to submit proposals under this section, the superintendent shall apply the standards set forth in division (G)(4)(a) of section 3924.11 of the Revised Code. Any insurer that does not submit a proposal when required to do so by the superintendent hereunder, shall be deemed to be in violation of section 3901.20 of the Revised Code and shall be subject to all of the provisions of section 3901.22 of the Revised Code, including division (D)(1) of section 3901.22 of the Revised Code as if it provided that the superintendent may suspend or revoke an insurer's license to engage in the business of insurance.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring an insurer to enter into an agreement with an alliance under contractual terms that are not acceptable to the insurer or to authorize the superintendent to require an insurer to enter into an agreement with an alliance under contractual terms that are not acceptable to the insurer.
This section applies beginning eighteen months after its effective date.
R.C. §1731.05