Only a few weeks ago, the White House and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that businesses affected by the employer mandate would not have to change or provide their employee benefit packages until 2016. The latest delay makes a similar concession for people who want to keep their current plans but were forced to change because they didn't match the essential health benefits provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
In a bulletin, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that people who already have health plans in place will not have to change their policies so they conform with the ACA health law provisions until 2016.
Kathleen Sebelius, secretary for HHS, indicated that health officials are doing this to make the changeover process more seamless.
"These policies implement the health care law in a common-sense way by continuing to smooth the transition for consumers and stakeholders and fixing problems wherever the law provides flexibility," said Sebelius. "This comprehensive guidance will help ensure that consumers, employers and insurers have the information they need to plan for next year and make it easier for families to make decisions to access quality, affordable coverage."
This latest concession may stem from some of the problems that people have encountered with their plans since the enrollment period began in October. For instance, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll, approximately in one in three consumers said that they have been negative affected as a result of the ACA, whether by paying higher premiums, losing coverage entirely or being matched with a plan that they didn't want. The survey also found that favorability for the law is at a near-record low of 40 percent.
