Here are seven highlights:
1. The Federal Register will publish the rules on March 8.
2. Although the rules allow payers to sell health plans with narrow provider networks, consumers will be able to see the value of the plans as the government will attach a label listing the breadth of the network for each plan HealthCare.gov sells.
3. Various health plans with narrow networks appeal to consumers by offering lower premiums than plans with a greater network of physicians and hospitals.
4. Now, consumers can find a plan’s reach in comparison to other plans in the same geographic area.
5. The Obama administration recently created model health plans that list standardized health options, which specify amount of deductibles, co-payments and other charges for physicians’ services, hospital care, X-rays, laboratory tests and prescription drugs. The government implemented the features to make it easier for consumers to compare HealthCare.gov plans.
6. The new rules mandate payers to ensure “continuity of care” for specific plans. For instance, if a plan drops a provider from its network without cause, the payer is required to allow patients in “an active course of treatment” to continue receiving care from the physician for up to 90 days.
7. The administration’s rules allow consumers using the federal marketplace to obtain year-round help from insurance counselors, which the government funds.
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