May 29, 2019
On May 13, 2019, Insurance Commissioner Ridling released Bulletin 2019-04 to extend the ability of health insurance carriers in the individual and small group market to continue transitional health insurance plans that renew for a policy year starting on or before October 1, 2020, as long as the coverage comes into ACA compliance by January 1, 2021.
As background, on March 25, 2019, CMS provided guidance for a transition policy extension that allows insurers the option to renew non-grandfathered non-ACA-compliant plans, as long as the state allows for such an extension. Such transition policies are not required to be in compliance with certain ACA mandates including community rating, coverage of essential health benefits, prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions and the annual out-of-pocket maximum limit. This bulletin applies this most recent federal extension to Alabama and allows the issuer to renew these non-ACA compliant plans either as an early renewal or short policy year to implement the extension.
Small employers that are interested in renewing their non-ACA-compliant plan should work with their advisors and insurers.
Bulletin 2019-04 »