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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Requests for Information or Comments

Open Requests

Health Insurance Market Reforms

CMS, along with the Department of Labor and the Treasury, requests information regarding the use of stop loss insurance by group health plans and their plan sponsors, with a focus on the prevalence and consequences of stop loss insurance at low attachment points.

Closed Requests

Affordable Insurance Exchanges

CMS is requesting information regarding section 1331 of the Affordable Care Act, which provides States with the option to establish a Basic Health Program.  This option permits States to enter into contracts to offer one or more "standard health plans" providing at least the essential health benefits described in section 1302(b) of the Affordable Care Act to eligible individuals in lieu of offering such individuals coverage through the Affordable Insurance Exchange (Exchange).

Closed:  October 29, 2011

Affordable Insurance Exchanges

The Department of Health and Human Services is asking States, consumer advocates, employers, insurers, and other interested stakeholders to comment on the types of standards Exchanges should be required to meet.

Closed: October 4, 2010

Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP)

The Department of Health and Human Services is asking stakeholders to help inform the development of regulations governing the CO-OP program. The Affordable Care Act calls for the establishment of the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Program, to foster the creation of nonprofit health insurance issuers to offer qualified health plans in the individual and small group markets. HHS will make loans to such nonprofit entities to fund start-up costs and award grants to assist them in meeting State solvency requirements. Comments are due 30 days from the February 2, 2011 date of publication in the Federal Register.

Closed: March 4, 2011

Medical Loss Ratio

The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury invited public comment to aid in the development of regulations regarding Section 2718 of the PHS Act. Section 2718 requires health insurance issuers offering individual or group coverage to submit annual reports to the Secretary on the percentages of premiums that the coverage spends on reimbursement for clinical services and activities that improve health care quality, and to provide rebates to enrollees if this spending does not meet minimum standards for a given plan year.

Closed: May 14, 2010

Premium Review Process

The Department of Health and Human Services invited public comments regarding Section 2794 to the Public Health Service Act. Section 2794 requires the Secretary to work with States to establish an annual review of unreasonable rate increases, to monitor premium increases and to award grants to States to carry out their rate review process.

Closed: May 14, 2010

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