AFLAC

The Department of Health and Human Services is developing rules for how plans report on benefits and how they pay health care providers to improve the quality of care and reduce costs. Major medical insurers began sending all benefits enrollees and applicants a new summary of benefits booklet and coverage notice to explain their benefit plans and coverage. Self-funded plans were required to provide the new summary for annual enrollment periods on or after Sept. 23, 2012, as well as all other enrollments for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2013. Starting with plan years ending on or after Oct. 1, 2012, issuers and plan sponsors are required to pay a new fee for the number of lives covered under each plan or policy subject to the fee, with the fee going to the PCORI fund.