New Regulations Roundup

Several final rules from the administration were published in the last few weeks. Below is a roundup of final rules of note to Medicare & health care:

• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published regulations that end the exclusion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and certain other noncitizen recipients from access to health insurance marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). DACA recipients will be eligible for ACA enrollment November 1, with coverage beginning as soon as this December. 
  • CMS: HHS Final Rule Clarifying the Eligibility of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Recipients and Certain Other Noncitizens | CMS
  • National Immigration Law Center Blog: DACA Recipients Will Soon Be Eligible for ACA Coverage – National Immigration Law Center (nilc.org)

• 1557 and 504 rules: (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) CMS recently issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which would strengthen anti-discrimination protections in health programs and activities and also recently finalized a rule under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities that receive funding from HHS, such as private Medicare Advantage plans and Part D plans.
  • CMA Alert: HHS Final Rules Strengthen Anti-Discrimination Protections in Health Care – Center for Medicare Advocacy

• Medicaid Managed Care and Medicaid Access Rules: CMS published regulations that improve access to care for Medicaid recipients.
  • CMS: Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services Final Rule (CMS-2442-F) | CMS
  • CMS: Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program Managed Care Access, Finance, and Quality Final Rule (CMS-2439-F) | CMS
  • NHeLP Press Release: New Federal Rules Improve Medicaid Access for Home and Community-based Services and Bolsters Oversight and Transparency for Managed Care Plans – National Health Law Program