This section applies to every group and individual policy of an issuer that relates its benefits to medicare. The term "policy reserve" is intended to apply to all types and forms of insurance equally, whether they are called policies, contracts, or certificates. For all forms that are issued on a level premium basis, policy reserves will be required. The policy reserve is in addition to claim reserves and premium reserves. The definition of the date of incurral must be the same for both claim reserves and policy reserves. Policy reserves must be based upon the following minimum standards:

1. (1) Morbidity should be based upon a reasonable expectation of future claim costs for the benefits being provided. At time of policy issue this would be the morbidity assumptions used to price the contract. For later durations the morbidity should reflect the experience that emerges including the effects of inflation and utilization. All morbidity assumptions must be reasonable in the view of the commissioner.
2. (2) The interest rate used may not exceed the maximum rate permitted by statute in the valuation of life insurance issued on the same date as the medicare supplement policy.
3. (3) Termination rates must be on the same basis as the mortality table permitted by statute in the valuation of life insurance issued on the same date as the medicare supplement policy or on another basis satisfactory to the commissioner.

4. (4) The minimum reserve is that calculated on the one-year full preliminary term method. This method produces a terminal reserve of zero at the first policy anniversary. The preliminary term method may be applied only in relation to the date of issue of a policy. Reserve adjustments introduced later as a result of rate increases, revisions in assumptions, or for other reasons, are to be applied immediately as of the effective date of adoption of the adjusted basis. The adjustments must be determined as follows:

   1. (a) Present value of future payments of claim costs for benefits, determined using revised assumptions based on anticipated experience;
   2. (b) Less the present value of future net premiums, determined using revised assumptions based on anticipated experience;
   3. (c) Less the liability for contract reserves at the valuation date.
5. (5) Negative reserves on any benefit may be offset against positive reserves for other benefits in the same policy or contract, but the total policy reserve with respect to all benefits combined may not be less than zero.
6. (6) The minimum policy reserve must include a reasonable margin for the risk of adverse selection.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060 and 48.66.165. WSR 05-17-019 (Matter No. R 2004-08), § 284-66-210, filed 8/4/05, effective 9/4/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.20.450, 48.20.460, 48.20.470, 48.30.010, 48.44.020, 48.44.050, 48.44.070, 48.46.030, 48.46.130 and 48.46.200. WSR 92-06-021 (Order R 92-1), § 284-66-210, filed 2/25/92, effective 3/27/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.20.450, 48.20.460, 48.20.470, 48.30.010, 48.44.020, 48.44.050, 48.44.070, 48.46.030, 48.46.130, 48.46.200, 48.66.041, 48.66.050, 48.66.100, 48.66.110, 48.66.120, 48.66.130, 48.66.150 and 48.66.160. WSR 90-07-059 (Order R 90-4), § 284-66-210, filed 3/20/90, effective 4/20/90.]