HHS slaps 'mini-med' plans with new restrictions

The Department of Health and Human Services offers new guidance on "mini-med" health plans, requiring that insurers selling these limited coverage offerings must inform consumers "in plain language" how such plans fall short of the health law's minimum coverage standards.

The Hill: Mini-Med Plans Must Notify Customers Of Limited Coverage
Health insurers offering so-called "mini med" plans must notify customers in plain language and within 60 days that their insurance plans offer extremely limited benefits, according to new Department of Health and Human Services guidance released Thursday (Millman, 12/9).

Modern Healthcare: 'Mini-Med' Plans Must Spell Out Coverage Limits
The HHS said it is requiring health insurers that offer bare-bones coverage, known as "mini-med" plans, to notify consumers in plain language that their benefits are extremely limited. Mini-med plans, typically offered to low-wage retail workers, often have annual coverage limits of just $2,000 and small monthly premiums (Vesely, 12/9).

Kaiser Health News: New Rules Spell Out Protections For consumers With 'Limited Benefit' Insurance Policies
At least 1.5 million people will soon receive notices from employers or insurers that their health plans fall short of meeting a key standard in the new health overhaul law - and by how much (Appleby, 12/9).

National Journal: HHS Slaps New Restrictions On 'Mini-Med' Plans
The Department of Health and Human Services today released new guidelines that require issuers of so-called "mini-med" plans to explicitly and "in plain language" explain the financial and coverage limitations inherent in them. Insurers must also direct consumers to a government website, healthcare.gov, where they can obtain additional information about the product types (DoBias, 12/9).

CQ HealthBeat: HHS Shines Light, Limits Expansion Of 'Mini-Med' Plans
Federal officials made it clear on Thursday that only under two limited circumstances can insurers who have received waivers to continue offering so-called "mini-med" health plans sell more of these policies. And for all of these limited coverage plans, companies must alert consumers that such insurance does not meet the minimum coverage standards required under the health care overhaul law. Health and Human Services officials began issuing waivers for these plans — used mainly to cover part-time and low-wage workers — because they were concerned that companies such as McDonald's might drop insurance for employees if they had to abide by the rules of the health law (Bunis, 12/9).