This is the seventh issue brief in a series released by Hilltop’s Hospital Community Benefit Program. This brief is a companion to the online tool, Community Benefit State Law Profiles, and presents the Profiles’ findings and begins the analysis—in effect, viewing state community benefit standards through the lens of the ACA—to facilitate a better understanding of each state’s community benefit landscape and its significance in the context of national health reform.
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, there has been consistent federal guidance employing and clarifying its provisions. Hilltop develops regulation summaries to assist state and local policymakers in their implementation of health reform. On July 17, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule on Exchange Functions: Standards for Navigators and Non-Navigator Assistance Personnel; Consumer Assistance Tools and Programs of an Exchange and Certified Application Counselors. This rule finalizes provisions in the Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs), released on January 22, 2013, and April 5, 2013, related to various requirements for navigators and assisters; requirements for exchanges to have a certified application counselor program and the details of that program; and conflict of interest, training and certification, and meaningful access standards. This document provides a high-level summary of this rule and highlights key changes to the regulation since the issue of the proposed rule.
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, there has been consistent federal guidance employing and clarifying its provisions. Hilltop develops regulation summaries to assist state and local policymakers in their implementation of health reform. On July 5, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIPs): essential health benefits (EHBs) in alternative benefit plans, eligibility notices, fair hearings and appeals processes, and premiums and cost sharing; Exchanges: eligibility and enrollment. This rule finalizes many of the provisions of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) released on January 22, 2013. This document provides a high-level summary of this rule and highlights key changes to the regulation since the issue of the proposed rule.
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, there has been consistent federal guidance employing and clarifying its provisions. Hilltop develops regulation summaries to assist state and local policymakers in their implementation of health reform. On July 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule on Exchange functions: eligibility for exemptions; miscellaneous minimum essential coverage provisions. This document provides a high-level summary of this rule and highlights key changes to the regulation since the issue of the proposed rule.
At the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting on June 25, 2013, in Baltimore, Maryland, Hospital Community Benefit Program Director Martha H. Somerville, JD, MPH, delivered a panel discussion. Her presentation addressed hospital charity care/community benefits/tax exemption; federal community health needs assessment and implementation strategies; collaborative needs assessment; and the role of nonprofit hospitals in health system transformation.
At the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting on June 23, 2013, in Baltimore, Maryland, Hospital Community Benefit Program Director Martha H. Somerville, JD, MPH, and Policy Analyst Gayle Nelson, JD, MPH, gave a poster presentation entitled Community Benefit State Law Profiles. This poster highlights the variation in community benefit laws across states in comparison with the federal community benefit standard.
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, there has been consistent federal guidance employing and clarifying its provisions. Hilltop develops regulation summaries to assist state and local policymakers in their implementation of health reform. On June 19, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on program integrity: Exchange, SHOP, premium stabilization programs, and market standards. This document provides a high-level summary of this rule and highlights the items for comment.
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, there has been consistent federal guidance employing and clarifying its provisions. Hilltop develops regulation summaries to assist state and local policymakers in their implementation of health reform.
On February 24, 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule on the Ninety-Day Waiting Period Limitation and Technical Amendments to Certain Health Coverage Requirements under the Affordable Care Act. This document provides a high-level summary of this rule and highlights key changes to the regulation since the issuance of the proposed rule.
Hilltop Hospital Community Benefit Program Policy Analyst Gayle D. Nelson, JD, MPH, gave a presentation at a National Association of Counties (NaCo) webinar titled “Using the Community Health Needs Assessment to Inform Policymaking” on May 30, 2013. In her presentation, Nelson provided a legal context for community health needs assessment (CHNA); described CHNA’s role in community health improvement; and discussed CHNA requirements and processes for nonprofit hospitals.
With the establishment of the Exchange in Maryland law in 2012, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that supported Hilltop’s work on health care reform between the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) and Hilltop transitioned to one between the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (MHBE) and Hilltop.
This report presents the activities and accomplishments of that MOU, covering January 1, 2012, through January 31, 2013.