The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has extended the public comment period for two proposed rules involving the Health Insurance Exchanges under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The rules affected by this change were released by HHS in mid-July, and pertain to Exchange implementation and State standards for reinsurance and risk adjustment. The original comment period that was set to close on September 28th, 2011 will now close October 31, 2011. For a more detailed analysis of the rules themselves, click here.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have released Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Exchange eligibility and insurance premium tax credits, respectively. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an NPRM related to the Medicaid eligibility expansion authorized by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). All three NPRMs are designed to simplify Exchange eligibility and enrollment by coordinating with state Medicaid agencies and the IRS to determine eligibility for premium tax credits and Medicaid under the new expanded eligibility rules laid out in the ACA. Also addressed in the proposed rules is the eligibility and calculation of tax credits for small businesses. For more information on the Medicaid eligibility expansion, click here. For more information on tax credits, click here. For more information on Exchange eligibility, click here. Finally, for more information on tax credits for small businesses, click here.