AHA urges agencies to abandon grandfathered group health plan proposal

The AHA today urged the Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services to not finalize a proposed rule that would allow certain grandfathered health plans to increase patient cost-sharing beyond current limits without losing their grandfathered status.

The proposed rule would allow grandfathered plans more flexibility to increase fixed cost-sharing amounts (e.g., copays, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums) without losing their grandfathered status, including allowing grandfathered plans that are high-deductible health plans to increase their fixed-amount cost-sharing beyond the allowed amounts if doing so is necessary for compliance with the HDHP requirements.

The AHA expressed concerns about the financial burden these plans put on patients, noting that it harms patients who may avoid accessing necessary care.

“At a time when access to health care is more critical than ever, we urge the departments not to finalize this rule, which could decrease patients’ health care coverage,” AHA wrote, while highlighting the added impact of undermining the financial stability of the hospitals and health systems that serve them.