Regulatory Activity 

Newsworthy

• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Affordable Care Act Implementation - the DOL issued FAQs on value-based insurance design in connection with preventive care benefits, automatic enrollment in health plans.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Affordable Care Act Bulletin
• Quality Improvement and Access to Primary Care 
• On August 22, 2011, the agencies released proposed regulations on the uniform benefit summaries together with proposed templates:
• Uniform Benefit Summary Proposed Rules
• Uniform Benefit Summary Proposed Template
  
• Medicare/Medicaid Proposed Rule - on August 17, 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) released a proposed rule to implement changes authorized by the Affordable Care Act relating to Medicaid and Chidren's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility, enrollment, and federal matching rates.  
  
  
• Establishment of Exchanges and Qualified Health Plans - on July 15, 2011, HHS issued a proposed rule on establishing exchanges and qualified health plans.

• CMS' chart comparing the proposed ACO rules to the final ACO rules.
• ACO Final Regulations as released on October 20, 2011.

Insurance Rate Review

• Final Regulation amendment on Rate Increase Disclosure and Review: Definitions of ‘‘Individual Market’’ and ‘‘Small Group Market’’ issued on September 6, 2011.

• CMS memo regarding Rate Review Reporting Requirements for Association Products.
• Final Regulation on Rate Increase and Disclosure issued on May 19, 2011.

• Interim Final Regulation issued on December 23, 2010, on insurance rate review.