AHIP statement on proposed Summary of Benefits and Coverage Rule
For Immediate Release
August 17, 2011
Contact:
Robert Zirkelbach
(202) 778-8493
AHIP Press Secretary Robert Zirkelbach released the following statement on the proposed Summary of Benefits and Coverage rule released by HHS today.
“Health plans increasingly provide user-friendly online tools and clear materials to make sure that consumers understand the benefits and costs of their health insurance policies. The benefits of providing a new summary of coverage document must be balanced against the increased administrative burden and higher costs to consumers and employers. For example, since most large employers customize the benefit packages they provide to their employees, some health plans could be required to create tens of thousands of different versions of this new document—which would add administrative costs without meaningfully helping employees. Moreover, given that the final regulation is delayed, the implementation date also should be pushed back to give health plans sufficient time to make the operational and administrative changes needed to create these new documents. We will be submitting detailed comments and look forward to working with regulators to mitigate potential unintended consequences of this new requirement.”
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Providing health Benefits for Over 200 Million Americans.