Russell E. Greenblatt

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The Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and Department of Health and Human Services published new rules in the Federal Register on August 26 regarding the new requirements for external claims appeals procedures for group health plans. These rules, under section 2719 of the Public Health Service Act, were enacted as part of Health Care Reform. The rules apply to group health plans which are NOT considered “grandfathered” under Health Care Reform.

The rules are contained in Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Technical Release No. 2010-01. They are in the form of an “interim enforcement safe harbor,” meaning that compliance with the safe harbor will protect the plan (and insurer) from violation of the statute. The safe harbor rules apply for plan years starting after September 23 until superseded by future guidance (which is to be published by July 1, 2011).Continue Reading New Rules Published for External Claims Appeals Procedures

On June 22, interim final regulations were issued regarding the “Patient’s Bill of Rights” requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), Pub. L. No. 111-148. These regulations were released jointly by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor (DOL) and Treasury. The regulations provide examples, safe harbors and other provisions helpful to the implementation of PPACA.

These rules are generally applicable to all group health plans for plan years starting on or after September 23, 2010, including “grandfathered” plans. This includes the annual dollar limits, the lifetime dollar limits, prohibition on preexisting condition exclusions and prohibition on coverage rescissions. However, the “patient protection” provisions do NOT apply to grandfathered plans.Continue Reading New Regulations Released Regarding Health Care Reform

Certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, do not apply to “grandfathered” group health plans, or have a delayed effective date for such plans. A grandfathered group plan is generally a plan in which an individual was enrolled on …