CMS Names Final Recipients of Health Overhaul Waivers

Last week, CMS released a list of the final recipients of one- to three-year waivers that exempt certain health plans from coverage-level mandates in the federal health reform law. The waivers went to 1,231 health plans and employers that cover 3.9 million individuals. Under the waivers, the minimum annual dollar limit on essential benefits that the recipient must provide is $750,000 in 2011, $1.25 million in 2012 and $2 million in 2013. Beginning in 2014, the health reform law prohibits dollar limits on essential benefits.

• "HHS Finalizes Over 1,200 Waivers Under Health Care Reform Law" (Baker, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 1/6).
• "CMS Issues Final Round of Health Plan Waivers" (Daly, Modern Healthcare, 1/8).