(1) No issuer shall deny or condition the issuance or effectiveness of any medicare supplement policy or certificate available for sale in this state, nor discriminate in the pricing of such a policy or certificate because of the health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or medical condition of an applicant where an application for a policy or certificate submitted prior to or during the six-month period beginning with the first day of the first month in which an individual (who is 65 years of age or older) first enrolled for benefits under medicare part B.  Each medicare supplement policy or certificate currently available from an issuer must be made available to all applicants who qualify under this rule without regard to age.

(2) If an applicant qualifies under ARM 6.6.507B(1) and submits an application during the time period referenced in (1) and, as of the date of application, has had a continuous period of creditable coverage of at least six months, the issuer shall not exclude benefits based on a preexisting condition.

(3) If the applicant qualifies under ARM 6.6.507B(1) and submits an application during the time period referenced in (1) and, as of the date of application, has had a continuous period of creditable coverage that is less than six months, the issuer shall reduce the period of any preexisting condition exclusion by the aggregate of the period of creditable coverage applicable to the applicant as of the enrollment date.  The secretary shall specify the manner of the reduction under this rule.

(4) This rule must not be construed as preventing the exclusion of benefits under a policy, except as provided in (2) and (3) and ARM 6.6.507C and 6.6.522 during the first six months, based on a preexisting condition for which the policyholder or certificateholder received treatment or was otherwise diagnosed during the six months before it became effective.