On Friday, March 1, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a draft letter to issuers on federally-facilitated and state partnership exchanges. The letter provides Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers with operational and technical guidance to assist their participation in these exchanges. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking comments on this proposed guidance by March 15, 2013.

Also on Friday, HHS released a series of new regulations to implement parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), along with a Fact Sheet on the rules. The regulations are part of a final rule and interim final rule titled “Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters.” These rules govern a program designed to protect insurers against early losses in the exchange market, the creation of the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchanges, and premium tax credits to assist the uninsured purchase insurance and reduce their cost-sharing expenses. In addition, a proposed rule was released to implement one set of requirements for the SHOP exchanges.

Links: CCIIO Draft Letter; HHS Fact Sheet