Government
Insurance portability rule finalized
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 17, 2005
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in conjunction with the Dept. of Labor has published a final regulation establishing the rules that allow individuals to maintain access to health coverage after they lose or change their jobs.
The original regulation requires health insurers to properly inform people when their insurance with their former employer ends. The final rule mandates plans to include educational material about the individual's rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Under the rule, individuals have 63 days from the time they lose their health insurance to get new coverage without being subject to potential limitations on new enrollees. The rule also contains restrictions on what health plans can deem preexisting conditions and on how long coverage exclusions can last.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/01/17/gvbf0117.htm.
