The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its final Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2018, which describes benefit and payment parameters under the ACA for the 2018 benefit year. This notice becomes effective Jan. 17, 2017.
The changes included in this final rule will generally apply for the 2018 benefit year. Updated standards included in the final notice relate to the following:
- Cost-sharing annual limits
- Special enrollment periods in the Exchange
- The individual mandate’s affordability exemption
The final rule also enhances standards for state-based Exchanges on the federal platform (SBE-FPs) and creates three new sets of six standardized benefit plan options in the federally facilitated Exchange (FFE).
Finally, the rule provides additional clarity on the special enrollment periods available through the FFE, and updates the ACA’s current child age rating structure to provide a more gradual transition when individuals move from age 20 to 21.
