(1) Regulation of medicare supplemental insurance policies under chapter 284-55 WAC is limited to those guaranteed renewable policies which were delivered to residents of this state prior to January 1, 1989. Such guaranteed renewable policies shall also be subject to the requirements of chapter 284-66 WAC as provided at WAC 284-66-020 (2)(a). All medicare supplemental insurance policies delivered to residents of this state after December 31, 1988, are regulated by the provisions of chapter 284-66 WAC, adopted March 16, 1990. Policies that are not guaranteed renewable and which were delivered to residents of this state prior to January 1, 1990, are also subject to the provisions of chapter 284-66 WAC.

(2) The purpose of this regulation, chapter 284-55 WAC, is to effectuate the provisions of RCW 48.20.450, 48.20.460 and 48.20.470, and to supplement the requirements of chapter 48.66 RCW, the Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance Act, by establishing minimum standards for benefits and specific standards for medicare supplement insurance, by prescribing the "outline of coverage" to be used in the sale of medicare supplemental insurance, by establishing other disclosure requirements, by prohibiting the use of certain provisions in medicare supplement insurance policies, by defining and prohibiting certain practices as unfair acts and practices, and establishing loss ratio requirements; to assure the orderly implementation and conversion of medicare supplement insurance benefits and premiums due to changes in the federal medicare program; to provide for the reasonable standardization of the coverage, terms, and benefits of medicare supplement insurance policies; to eliminate policy provisions which may duplicate medicare benefits; and to provide for refunds of premiums associated with benefits duplicating medicare program benefits.