Politico is reporting that a draft rule would change when people can enroll in coverage under the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces, how much older customers are charged and how much cost insurers can shift onto customers.
Politico reportedly obtained drafts of proposed rules being written by HHS. The news outlet warns that the drafts could change, however.
Modern Healthcare reported last week that the Office of Management and Budget had received a proposed rule that hinted it was aimed at stabilizing the marketplaces created by the ACA to provide individual coverage.
The rule was submitted the day before insurers told Congress that current uncertainties in policies and regulations needed to be addressed before they could commit to continuing coverage for up to 20 million people who have obtained plans in the marketplace. Insurers must begin submitting health plans to state regulators in March.
The draft rule submitted by the Trump administration would cut the 2018 enrollment period, according to Politico. It would run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, rather than through the end of January 2018.
The proposed rule also tightens standards for proving eligibility to sign up during special enrollment periods. Insurers have said lax rules currently allow customers to sign up before they need medical services and then drop coverage once they receive it.
Politico reports that the rule also drops the amount insurers must cover on medical expenses. For example, insurers are currently responsible for covering between 68% and 72% of medical expenses in "silver plans" on the exchange. In the draft rule, insurers could expand that range by 2 percentage points, according to Politico.
GOP leadership, which vowed to quickly repeal and replace the ACA, has been struggling to gather behind one plan or even decide whether the ACA should be eliminated completely.
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