The Wyoming Health Insurance Pool (WHIP) Board of Directors announces a meeting of the Board, to which the Public is invited.

Monday, November 4, 2024 · 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Dial-in: 724-634-8918
PIN: 361 577 844#

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cdf-foqv-spb

(Reminder: Please only join one of the online meeting or call in to avoid noise interference)

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER: Semi-annual meeting of the Governing Board and Assessment recommendations

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting JoAnne DeBella by email at JoAnne.DeBella@wyo.gov

In the event of a change or cancellation, notice will be published on the Wyoming Insurance Department website as possible.

TO: All Wyoming Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Companies  

DATE:  October 18, 2024

SUBJECT: Anticipated Property & Casualty Data Calls 

Based on multiple recent complaint investigations, the Department has identified instances where underwriting guidelines/rules have not been in compliance with Wyoming law.  After thorough consideration and discussions with industry representatives, the Department will commence a series of data calls related to the property and casualty market in this state.  The information to be provided by insurers will be related to, but not limited to, underwriting rules/guidelines and will be reviewed for compliance with Wyoming law.  Insurers receiving a data call shall submit the requested underwriting documentation in accordance with the procedures and deadlines identified in the data call document.  The data calls will begin in or about December 2024.  

If there are questions regarding the above, please feel free to contact Lela Ladd, Insurance Standards Manager, at lela.ladd@wyo.gov or at the Department main telephone number (307) 777-2448. 

The Wyoming Department of lnsurance (Department) is requesting certain information regarding the nonadmitted insurance that was written in Wyoming for the year 2024 and going forward. This data is necessary to reconcile the premiums written by non-admitted insurance companies with the premiums reported by the Wyoming non-admitted filers (surplus lines agents/brokers, direct procurement filers, and risk purchasing groups).

Wyoming follows the "Home State" taxation and regulatory requirements that are outlined in the Non-Admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) as required under W.S. 26-77-178.

Surplus Lines Brokers that transact business with non-admitted insurers where Wyoming is the home state are required to file tax reports with the Wyoming Department of lnsurance and remit taxes and fees on all Wyoming non-admitted insurance business through the Surplus Lines lnformation Portal (SLIP). As a surplus lines insurer doing business in Wyoming, you currently file your business written report to the Wyoming Department of lnsurance via a paper filing. The Department is modernizing this filing to be an electronic filing via the SLIP system, which will no longer require the paper filing.

lnsurers will submit policy data to the Wyoming Department of lnsurance via the SLIP system. The SLIP website can be accessed via https://www.slasclearinghouse.com or https://slip.slasclearinghouse.com/Common/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f. All surplus lines insurers will be sent an email when their company's SLIP account is created. However, if you do not receive an email, insurers can register for a SLIP account on the SLAS SLIP login page.

lnsurers have the following options for data submissions via SLIP: (1) manual data entry or (2) multiple policy submission through an XML batch process. lnsurers reporting a relatively small number of policies are ideal candidates for the manual data entry in SLIP, while insurers reporting numerous policies may prefer to submit data in XML batch format. Please contact the SLAS staff at batchfilins@slasclearinghouse.com to request more information on the batch filing process.

The Wyoming Department of Insurance is monitoring the impact of the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attack that occurred on February 21, 2024. Change Healthcare is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that also operates as Optum Solutions. This attack has created challenges for insurers, health plan members and health care providers including hospitals, individual practitioners, outpatient facilities and pharmacies in Wyoming.

Consumers who are experiencing concerns related to this cybersecurity incident should first attempt to resolve those issues with their health insurer or care provider directly. If a resolution cannot be reached, contact the Wyoming Department of Insurance at 307-777-7402 or file a complaint online here.

The Department would also warn individuals and providers to beware of possible scams during this time. Change Healthcare, United Healthcare and Optum Solutions will not reach out to you and offer to reimburse you money you may be due by requesting card information or account information. If you receive calls like this, please contact the Department. Consumers are strongly encouraged to continue personal cybersecurity best practices such as complex passwords, avoiding suspicious links in emails, or speaking to an unknown medical provider or hospital seeking personal information.

Updates on Change Healthcare’s efforts to address the cybersecurity attack can be found at UnitedHealth Group's cyber response page ↗.