One more tidbit

On Monday, the Affordable Care Act regulators issued an amendment to the interim final rule on grandfathered plans. The accompanying press release explains that the amendments allow[s] group health plans to change insurers "and remain grandfathered, as long as the change in issuer does not result in significant cost increases, a reduction in benefits, or other changes described in the original grandfather rule." The change is prospective only, e.g., the group health plan decided to change insurers in September but the change takes effect January 2011.  This change is in alignment with the original rule's provision permitting group health plans to convert from insured to self funded status without losing grandfathered plan status. This change has little impact on the FEHB Program because for most plans the grandfathered plan ship has sailed.