Once an entry has been adopted by the members of the Commission, it moves from the Docket Developing Standards to the Record Adopted Standards. The same documents required on the Docket will move over to the Record upon adoption:
- Transmittal Memo
- Briefing Sheet
- Any comments received and posted.
Housed on the Record, and searchable under Record Type, are the final, adopted Uniform Standards, Bylaws, and Operating Procedures. The Uniform Standards on the Record are sorted into two categories: individual or group products. The Uniform Standards can also be found by searching for Product Type, such as term life, whole life, variable annuity, non-variable annuity, and so on. The other searchable field is Filing Type, such as policy, rider/endorsement, application, and rates.
Uniform Standards are effective 90 days after member adoption. Each Uniform Standard may be viewed by selecting the Standard; the entry typically has one final, adopted document associated with it. The full text of the Uniform Standard is in both html and PDF formats on the “Document” tab. A Table of Contents is available in both formats for ease of use. Operating Procedures and Bylaws are in the same format.
Version in Effect. Occasionally, it is possible to have two documents associated with a Uniform Standard posted to an individual Record entry. For example, if the Commission has taken final action and adopted an amendment to a particular Uniform Standard, it is not effective until 90 days from adoption. Therefore, the current version will remain effective until the Effective Date of the new amendment comes. The website shows users the new Effective Date while identifying the existing, or current, Uniform Standard that applies until the new Effective Date. First, the current version of the Uniform Standard remains in html and PDF formats until the Effective Date. Second, a PDF version of the amendment is available on the “Document” tab, and the hyperlink clearly denotes the new Effective Date. Third, when the 90-day period passes, the amendments are made to the html version of the Uniform Standard, and the prior version of the Uniform Standard is taken off the “Document” tab. Note: prior versions of all Uniform Standards are available on the “History” tab.
Operating Procedures and Bylaws, on the other hand, are effective upon adoption, so users will see only the latest version of the document in both html and PDF formats on the “Overview” tab. Prior versions of all Operating Procedures and the Bylaws can be found on the “History” tab.
Opt Outs. Not every member state participates in every adopted Uniform Standard. As such, the Compact maintains a list of participating and non-participating states for certain Uniform Standards, particularly for disability (“DI”) and long-term care (“LTC”) product lines. These lists are currently denoted as “States who have Opted Out of the Uniform Standards” at the top of each Uniform Standard. If an individual record does not have a list of states, this means no states have opted out of that Uniform Standard. Note: member states cannot opt out of Operating Procedures or Bylaws; therefore, this section only applies to Uniform Standards.
Citation Number. The Citation Number is a record keeping item to assist with shorthand of the Uniform Standards in referencing. It is located at the top of each individual Uniform Standard. Note: neither Operating Procedures nor Bylaws have a Citation Number; therefore, this section applies only to Uniform Standards.
Checklists. Each Uniform Standard has an associated checklist that can be found on the “Overview” tab in an individual Uniform Standard. A checklist is a tabled replica of the Uniform Standard and can be completed in an interactive manner. Most Uniform Standards have one checklist, but there are a couple of exceptions:
- These LTC rate standards have multiple checklists: “Rate Filing Standards for Individual Long-Term Care Insurance–Issue Age Rate Schedules Only” and “Rate Filing Standards for Individual Long-Term Care Insurance—Modified Rate Schedules.” There are three different filing types a company can submit under these standards: standard (or initial) rates, annual rate certification, and triennial memorandum supporting an annual rate certification. Therefore, three different checklists are available for company filers to use.
- When an existing Uniform Standard is amended, it is possible to have two separate checklists posted to a single Uniform Standard entry: one representing the existing standard and the other with whatever changes have been made to the Uniform Standard. This is because Uniform Standards are not immediately effective upon adoption; they are considered effective 90 days after member adoption. The new checklist is often posted before the official effective date, though, to allow filers to get a sense of what has changed, and the new checklist is denoted in a way to make clear when it is effective. Once the amended standard becomes effective, the replaced checklist is deleted.
Other Tabs. The “Overview” tab holds the historical information from the last adopted amendment, such as applicable Transmittal Memos, Briefing Sheets, any comments received and posted, and so on. The rest of the historical information behind each amendment made to a particular Uniform Standard can be found on the “History” tab. The results are shown in chronological order and are denoted by either “Inactive” or “Active.”