Agencies issue final rule on 'grandfathered' health plans

The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury Friday issued a final rule on "grandfathered" health plans, which are exempt from certain requirements under the Affordable Care Act. Effective for group health plans and issuers beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2017, the final rule incorporates guidance issued since the 2010 interim final rule, but does not make significant policy changes. It also finalizes the rule’s provisions related to preexisting condition exclusions, lifetime and annual dollar limits on benefits, rescissions, coverage of dependent children to age 26, internal claims and appeal and external review processes, and patient protections.