While the Trump Administration’s proposed rule for market stabilization was circulated in the middle of February, also included were date changes for 2017 and 2018 by the Department of Health and Human Services. The revised dates applied to the certification of qualified health plans (QHP) as well as deadlines for rate filings for next year’s (2018) plans.
Of all the date changes, one reveals a significant push, as QHP applications and rates-setting deadlines for 2018 are moved from May 3, 2017 to June 21, 2017. The submission window begins May 10th, and following the deadline, the applications are reviewed until July 25, 2017.
Corrections are issued within the first two days of August, with changes due by August 16th. They are re-reviewed until September 11th, with final corrections to be completed from September 14th through September 17th. Finally, the plan recommendations arrive on September 27th.
So what does this mean? Insurance providers are now given a far longer grace period of nearly two months to decide their participation in the federal market exchange, with an extended calendar for QHP applications and rates submissions.
However, this also reflects a greater assumption that the GOP will not have a structured ACA replacement plan for the upcoming year. Reason being, if rates must be set by June 21, that would require the GOP to not only create the replacement plan but have it approved by Congress in time. This is arguably next to impossible, suggesting that any real changes would not take effect for the 2018 plan year, making 2019 the likely start year for any changes.
For all of the newly revised dates, click here.
