Several proposed health reform regulations released

November 26, 2012 — Several long awaited proposed regulations that govern implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provisions were recently released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

These regulations are intended to provide detailed guidance regarding implementation of the 2010 law. Of special note — starting in Jan. 2014 — it will be illegal for an insurer to discriminate due to pre-existing conditions in denying coverage. It is estimated that this one provision will provide insurance options for some 129 million Americans.

In addition to the pre-existing conditions exclusion, insurers will not be able to discriminate based upon gender, occupation, claims history or health status for the purpose of raising premiums.

Additional standards were also laid out in this week’s proposed rule that relate to issuers’ determinations of essential health benefits and their value. PPACA requires payers in the individual/small group markets to include within their plans core essential benefits.

ACA is following this development closely and is active nationally on behalf of the profession. Be sure to look for ACA comments on these proposed rules in future editions of Week in Review. If you haven’t yet decided to contribute to CHAMP, consider these national proposals and how they will affect you. Follow healthcare reform here.

Source: American Chiropractic Association, acatoday.org