Implementation roundup: HHS meets on state exchanges; Regs out soon on 'unreasonable' insurance rate increases; Plan 'B' options for the individual mandate

CQ HealthBeat: Meeting Suggests Many States May Delay Exchange Legislation Until 2012, Attendee Says
The first of a two-day, closed-door, HHS meeting with representatives from 44 states suggested that in many cases states will delay passing laws to create health insurance exchanges until 2012, according to one attendee. ... States have flexibility under the law to structure exchanges in different ways. HHS has urged that, if possible, they begin passing legislation in 2011 to get that process underway (Reichard, 12/16).

The Hill: New Insurance Rate Regulations Pending
Highly anticipated regulations defining what constitutes "unreasonable" health insurance premium increases are expected any day now that federal regulators have sent them to the Office of Management and Budget for final review. Democrats' health care reform law gives the federal government greater oversight of health insurance premium increases by requiring a review and justification of steep increases. The law requires health plans to publicly justify "unreasonable" rate hikes starting with 2010 plan years, and gives states power to shut health insurers out of state health insurance exchanges starting in 2014 (Millman, 12/16).

Kaiser Health News: Experts Ponder 'Plan B' Options For The Individual Mandate
Reporting for Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen writes: "With Republicans vowing to dismantle the health law and courts wrestling with its constitutionality, some health policy experts are pondering a possible 'Plan B' in case the individual mandate - the requirement that everyone get health insurance starting in 2014 - is weakened or struck down" (Kenen, 12/16).