Proposed HHS Insurance Market Rules Promise Considerable Change to Existing Industry Practices

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed regulations on November 20 that would implement the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) dramatic reforms of the way health insurance is priced and sold in the individual and small group markets, previously a concern largely for state legislators and regulators. By 2022 these changes are anticipated to affect 53 million Americans, whether they purchase insurance through a health insurance exchange or outside the exchange. These changes, effective in 2014, are the most significant in health insurance regulation in more than a generation. This report analyzes the proposed rules and highlights areas in which HHS is seeking public comment.