Last week, the Big “I” submitted comments regarding Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA’s) and Other Account-Based Group Health Plans. The comments are in response to the “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Health Reimbursement Arrangements and Other Account-Based Group Health Plans,” issued jointly by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last October.

The proposed rule, which allows employers to integrate their HRA with individual health insurance coverage if it is nondiscriminatory in its implementation, is the result of an October 2017 executive order issued by President Trump. The rule intends to help provide businesses and those individuals who benefit from employer-sponsored health insurance with more choices.

In the comments, the Big “I” made clear that it supports health insurance choice and competition, as well as the employer-sponsored health insurance system. In addition, the Big “I” emphasized the importance of focusing on strong consumer protections, and noted that any final rule should maintain an appropriate role for independent insurance agents and brokers.

Wyatt Stewart is Big “I” senior director of federal government affairs.