This week, the Big “I” submitted formal comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on a proposed rule regarding “Establishment of Exchanges and Qualified Health Plans” (to read the comment letter, click here). The proposed rules, originally published July 15, 2011, are intended to provide guidance to states by setting minimum standards for Exchanges to be considered in compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
As they prepare for the scheduled launch of state exchanges in 2014, HHS has been releasing a steady drip of proposed rules on exchange regulations for the past few months. Once formalized, these rules have the potential to greatly impact the way agents and brokers do business in the health benefits market. The Big “I” will continue to comb through and analyze each regulation for its impact on our member businesses and fight for agent and broker priorities.
In other PPACA-related news, this week the Obama Administration requested that the U.S. Supreme Court review the decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals against the constitutionality of the individual mandate as enacted in the PPACA (to read about this case, click here). Previously, along with the 11th Circuit Court ruling to strike down the individual mandate, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and the 4th Circuit Court ruled to uphold the PPACA. The split decisions at the appellate court level along with the move by the Obama Administration to request U.S. Supreme Court review virtually ensures a final decision on the constitutionality of the PPACA before the November 2012 elections.
Ryan Young (ryan.young@iiaba.net) is Big “I” senior director of federal government affairs.