Insurance Exchanges

On Friday, July 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) posted Marketplace Experience and QHP Experience Enrollee Satisfaction Surveys. The survey Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) packages are available for public comment through August 27.

This set of instruments released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid provides guidance on the methodology and surveys that CMS will use to assess enrollee satisfaction with the Marketplace and QHPs.

This report outlines the required minimum functions of exchanges, and explains how exchanges are expected to be established and administered under ACA. The coverage offered through exchanges is discussed, and it provides detail on how individuals will qualify for federal tax credits. The report concludes with a discussion of how exchanges will interact with selected other ACA provisions.

The ACA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations require states and American Health Benefit Exchanges (exchanges) to carry out a number of key functions, for which state responsibilities vary by exchange type. Despite some challenges, the seven selected states in GAO’s review reported they have taken actions to create exchanges, which they expect will be ready for enrollment by the deadline of October 1, 2013

This final rule issued by HHS amends existing regulations regarding triggering events and special enrollment periods for qualified employees and their dependents. It also confirms that implementation of employee choice in the federal SHOP exchange will be delayed until 2015.