People Processes

CMS Extends Small Group Transitional Relief Policies through 2020 On Mar 25, 2019, CMS issued a https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Regulations-and-Guidance/Downloads/Limited-Non-Enforcement-Policy-Extension-Through-CY2020.pdf (new one year extension) of its transitional policy for non-grandfathered small group plans that are not compliant with the ACA. Policyholders will be allowed to renew their transitional plan coverage (commonly referred to as ‘grandmothered plans’) through Oct 1, 2020 as long as the coverage does not extend beyond Dec 31, 2020. If CMS does not issue another extension next year, all non-compliant policies must become compliant by Jan 1, 2021. Any policy renewed during the 2020 calendar year after Jan 1 must have a short plan year in order to terminate by Dec 31. CMS believes that requiring transitional policies terminate immediately before Jan 1, 2021 will “facilitate changing from non-compliant coverage to Affordable Care Act-compliant coverage, which requires a calendar year policy y