ISSUES IN FOCUS
August 26, 2010
Health Reform Implementation Resources
The Affordable Care Act and
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
Earlier this year, Congress passed and the President signed landmark health insurance reform legislation, the Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (P.L. 111-152). Senate Democrats fought hard to enact health reform that puts control over health care decisions in the hands of the American people, not insurance companies. Senate Democrats are committed to implementing health reform that brings costs down for everyone, holds insurance companies accountable, and provides Americans with the insurance security and choices they deserve.
This report is intended to provide a centralized, organized listing of resources regarding health insurance reform implementation, and it will be updated as necessary.
- Democratic Policy Committee, Affordable Care Act
- The White House, Putting Americans In Control of Their Health Care
- Department of Health and Human Services, HealthCare.gov
- Department of Health and Human Services, HealthReform.gov (This website was archived on July 1, 2010 and is not being updated)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Reform Center
- Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Department of Health and Human Services
- Congressional Research Service, Health Care Reform page, CRS.gov
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Special Section on PPACA and State Insurance Regulation
- Helping Americans with Disabilities Live Independently, HealthCare.gov (7/27/10)
- HHS Awards $4.9 Million to Support Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs, HRSA (7/27/10)
- FY2010 Family-to-Family Health Information Center Grant Awards, HRSA (undated)
- Letter from Secretary Sebelius to Governors, Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, HealthCare.gov (7/26/10)
- CMS Announces $2.25 Billion in Grants to Extend Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration, HHS (7/26/10)
- Money Follows the Person, CMS (7/26/10)
- Availability of Interim Procedures for Federal External Review and Model Notices Relating to Internal Claims and Appeals and External Review under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Notice, Federal Register (8/23/10)
- More Help on the Way for Health Care Consumers, HealthCare.gov (7/28/10)
- Administration Announces New Affordable Care Act Measures to Protect Consumers and Put Patients Back in Charge of Their Care, HHS (7/22/10)
- Fact Sheet: Protecting Consumers and Putting Patients Back in Charge of Their Care, HealthCare.gov (7/22/10)
- Interim Final Rules for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers Relating to Internal Claims and Appeals and External Review Processes Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Federal Register (7/23/10)
- HHS Announces Availability of Health Center New Access Point Grants, HHS (8/9/10)
- Community Health Centers and the Affordable Care Act: Increasing Access to Affordable, Cost Effective, High Quality Care, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Health Center New Access Points Funded Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (CFDA #93.527), Grants.gov (8/9/10)
- Administration Announces New Affordable Care Act Measures to Protect Consumers and Put Patients Back in Charge of Their Care, HHS (7/22/10)
- Fact Sheet: Protecting Consumers and Putting Patients Back in Charge of Their Care, HealthCare.gov (7/22/10)
- Affordable Care Act Consumer Assistance Program Grants (CFDA #93.519), Grants.gov (7/22/10)
- Applications for Early Retiree Reinsurance Program Now Being Accepted, HHS (6/29/10)
- The Affordable Care Act’s Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, Fact Sheet, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, HHS (undated)
- Help Now Available for Employers Offering Early Retiree Health Insurance, White House blog (6/29/10)
- New Report Includes Good News for Early Retirees, White House Blog (5/25/10)
- Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (5/5/10)
- Fact Sheet: The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, the White House (5/4/10)
- Helping Businesses Help Retirees, White House Blog (5/4/10)
- Secretary Sebelius Statement (5/4/10)
- Bringing Down Health Care Costs for America’s Businesses and Seniors, White House Blog (4/22/10)
- Fact Sheet: Early Benefits from the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Reinsurance Program for Early Retirees, the White House (undated)
- Building a Better Insurance Marketplace – Setting the Stage for 2014, HealthCare.gov (7/29/10)
- Establishing Health Insurance Exchanges and a New Competitive Marketplace, Fact Sheet, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Request for Comment regarding Exchange-related provisions, Federal Register (comments due 10/4/10)
- Process FAQ for Request for Comment on Health Insurance Exchanges, HHS (undated)
- HHS Announces Availability of $51 Million in Resources for States to Build New Competitive Health Insurance Marketplace, HHS (7/29/10)
- State Planning and Establishment Grants for the Affordable Care Act’s Exchanges, GrantSolutions.gov (due 9/1/10)
- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Send Letter to State Attorneys General On New Outreach and Education Efforts to Combat Medicare Fraud, HHS (6/8/10)
- HHS, CMS, and the Administration on Aging Launch Fraud Prevention Education Campaign, HHS/CMS (6/8/10)
- Reports of Fraud Relating to the Affordable Care Act, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- Turning Up the HEAT on Fraud, White House Blog (5/13/10)
- The Affordable Care Act: New Tools to Fight Fraud, Strengthen Medicare and Protect Taxpayer Dollars, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- The Grandfather Regulation – What They’re Saying, White House Blog (6/15/10)
- Keeping the Plan You Like, White House Blog (6/14/10)
- Fact Sheet: Keeping the Health Plan You Have: The Affordable Care Act and “Grandfathered” Health Plans, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- Questions and Answers: Keeping the Health Plan You Have: The Affordable Care Act and “Grandfathered” Health Plans, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- Interim Final Rules, Federal Register (6/14/10)
Please see Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
- HHS Allocated $88 million for Home Visiting Program to Improve the Wellbeing of Children and Families, HHS (7/21/10)
- Helping New Parents and Gaining Long-Term Savings, White House blog (7/21/10)
- Request for public comment on criteria for evidence of effectiveness of home visiting program models, Federal Register (7/23/10)
- Fact Sheet #73: Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA, DOL (7/19/10)
- ACF Partners with HRSA for the Tribal Maternal, Infant and Childhood Home Visiting Grant Program, HRSA (6/24/10)
- Announcing $90 million in Affordable Care Act Funding for Maternal, Infant and Childhood Home Visiting Program Grants, HRSA (6/10/10)
- Making Sure Your Premiums Pay for Care, HealthCare.gov (8/17/10)
- NAIC Approves Form for MLR Financial Reporting Requirements, NAIC (8/17/10)
- NAIC Letter to Secretary Sebelius, naic.gov (6/1/10)
- Sebelius Letter to NAIC, HealthReform.gov (4/12/10)
- Request for Comments Regarding Section 2718 of the Public Health Service Act (Medical Loss Ratios), HealthReform.gov (4/8/10)
- Strengthening Medicare: The Trustees Report, HealthCare.gov (8/6/10)
- Saving Money and Giving Seniors Better Care, White House blog (8/2/10)
- Medicare and Mayberry, White House blog (7/30/10)
- Strengthening Medicare and Protecting America’s Seniors, HealthReform.gov (6/10/10)
- Seniors Across the Country Join President Obama’s Discussion on Health Reform and Medicare, White House Blog (6/9/10)
- The Affordable Care Act: Strengthening Medicare, Combating Misinformation and Protecting America’s Senior, the White House (6/8/10)
- Medicare and the New Health Care Law - What it Means for You, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (5/10)
- Medicare y la Nueva Ley de Salud - Lo que Significa para Usted, Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (5/10)
- Prescription Drug Cost Relief to More Than 750,000 Medicare Beneficiaries, HHS (8/10/10)
- Another Round of Donut Hole Rebate Checks Drop This Week, HealthCare.gov (8/10/10)
- What is the Donut Hole?, HealthCare.gov (8/9/10)
- Strengthening Medicare, HealthCare.gov (8/2/10)
- Celebrating 45 Years of Medicare, HealthCare.gov (7/30/10)
- More Seniors to Receive One-Time Donut Hole Rebate Checks, HHS (7/8/10)
- Making Coverage More Affordable for America’s Seniors, HealthReform.gov (6/7/10)
- Closing the Prescription Drug Coverage Gap, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (5/10)
- Medicare Coverage Gap Discount Program Model and Announcement of the June 1, 2010 Public Meeting, Federal Register (5/26/10)
- What Menu Labeling Means for You, LetsMove.gov (8/24/10)
- FDA releases guidance on federal menu labeling requirements, FDA (8/24/10)
- Draft Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Implementation of the Menu Labeling Provisions of Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Federal Register (8/24/10)
- Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding the Effect of Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 on State and Local Menu and Vending Machine Labeling Laws, Federal Register (8/24/10)
- Federal Register (7/23/10)
- FDA Seeks Public Comment on New Federal Menu Labeling Requirements, FDA (7/8/10)
- Federal Register, (7/7/10)
- Giving Our Kids the Care They Need, White House Blog (7/28/10)
- Questions and Answers on Enrollment of Children Under 19 Under the New Policy That Prohibits Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions, HHS (7/27/10)
- Sebelius Letter to America’s Health Insurance Plans on Coverage for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions, HealthReform.gov (3/29/10)
- About the New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- What is a Pre-Existing Condition?, HealthCare.gov (8/18/10)
- Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, Interim Final Rule, Federal Register (7/30/10)
- Insurance for Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions, White House blog (7/29/10)
- Statement of HHS Spokeswoman Jenny Backus on the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Policy, HHS.gov (7/14/10)
- HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, HHS (7/1/10)
- The Affordable Care Act – What It Means for Those with Pre-Existing Conditions, HHS brochure (undated)
- New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Fact Sheet – Temporary High Risk Pool Program, HHS (undated)
- Next Steps in High-Risk Pool Program, HealthReform.gov Blog (5/3/10)
- HHS Release, letter to Governors (4/2/10)
- $46 Million in Grants to Help States Crack Down on Unreasonable Health Insurance Premium Hikes, HHS (8/16/10)
- Reining in Excessive Health Insurance Premium Increases, HealthCare.gov (8/16/10)
- New Resources to Help States Crack Down on Unreasonable Health Insurance Premium Hikes, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Health Insurance Premium Grants: Detailed State by State Summary of Proposed Activities, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Accountability in the States for Unfair Health Insurance Rate Hikes, White House Blog (6/11/10)
- New Grants to Protect Consumers, HealthReform.gov (6/9/10)
- Secretary Sebelius Announces $51 million in Affordable Care Act Grants to Innovate, Improve, and Enhance Health Insurance Premium Rate Review, HHS (6/7/10)
- My Letter to States in Defense of Consumers, HealthReform.gov (5/6/10)
- Sebelius Calls on Governors and State Insurance Commissioners to Examine Premium Increases and Rate Review Authorities, HHS (5/5/10)
- Request for Comments Regarding Section 2794 of the Public Health Service Act, HealthReform.gov (4/8/10)
- Free Preventive Care Coming Soon Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, White House blog (7/19/10)
- Affordable Care Act Prevention Center for Healthy Weight, Grants.gov (7/16/10)
- The Affordable Care Act’s New Rules on Preventive Care and You, HealthCare.gov (7/14/10)
- Fact Sheet: Benefits for African Americans, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Fact Sheet: Benefits for Latinos, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Fact Sheet: Benefits for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Fact Sheet: Benefits for Seniors, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Fact Sheet: Benefits for Women and Children, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Affordable Care Act: Laying the Foundation for Prevention, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Background: The Affordable Care Act’s New Rules on Preventive Care (7/14/10)
- Taking Prevention into Your Own Hands, HealthCare.gov (7/14/10)
- Recommended Preventive Health Services, HealthCare.gov (undated)
- Interim Final Rules regarding Coverage of Prevention Services, HealthCare.gov (7/14/10)
- Prevention is a Priority - - Now It’s a Reality, White House blog (7/14/10)
- Administration Announces Regulations Requiring New Health Insurance Plans to Provide Free Preventive Care, HHS.gov (7/14/10)
- Affordable Care Act: Laying the Foundation for Prevention, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- Fact Sheet: Creating Jobs and Increasing the Number of Primary Care Providers, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- Executive Order -- Establishing the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council, the White House (6/10/10)
- Apples and Oranges, White House blog (7/21/10)
- Debunking More Myths on the Affordable Care Act and Small Business, White House Blog (5/27/10)
- Tax Credits are First Step in Health Insurance Reform for Small Businesses, White House Blog (5/17/10)
- Administration Releases New Guidance on Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, the White House (5/17/10)
- The Affordable Care Act, Saves Money and Gives Small Business Owners More Affordable Insurance Choices, the White House (undated)
- Getting the Word Out on Health Reform’s Small Business Tax Credit, White House Blog (4/19/10)
- Six Ways Health Reform will Help Small Businesses, the White House (undated)
- Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, the White House (undated)
- Small Business Health Care Tax Credit: Four Cases, the White House (undated)
- IRS Reaches Out to Millions of Employers on Benefits of New Health Care Tax Credit, IRS (undated)
- Small Business Health Care Tax Credit: Frequently Asked Questions, IRS (5/5/10)
- YouTube Primer on Health Care Credit, IRS (4/10)
- Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Program, NIH (7/22/10)
- IRS Begins Accepting Applications for Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Program, IRS (6/18/10)
- New Tax Credit Will Support Groundbreaking Research, Create Jobs, and Bring Down Costs, White House Blog, 5/21/20)
- Administration Releases Guidance for $1 Billion Tax Credit Under Affordable Care Act to Support Biomedical Research by Small Firms, Department of the Treasury (5/21/10)
- Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Credit, IRS Notice (undated)
- President Obama Explains HealthCare.gov, the White House (7/28/10)
- Putting Control Over Health Insurance in Consumers’ Hands...Through Their Fingertips, White House Blog (4/30/10)
- Gathering Insurance Information, HHS (undated)
- Fact Sheet on Establishing the Web Portal Called for in the Affordable Care Act (undated)
- Health Care Reform Insurance Web Portal Requirements, HHS Regulation (5/10/10)
- HHS Awards $159.1 Million to Support Health Care Workforce Training, HHS (8/5/10)
- Building a Stronger Health Care Workforce, HealthReform.gov (6/18/10)
- Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel, Federal Register (6/16/10)
- Fact Sheet: Creating Jobs and Increasing the Number of Primary Care Providers, HealthReform.gov (undated)
- National Health Care Workforce Commission, nominations, GAO.gov (undated)
- Changes are Coming for Young Adults, HealthReform.gov (5/28/10)
- Fact Sheet: Young Adults and the Affordable Care Act: Protecting Young Adults and Eliminating Burdens on Families and Businesses, the White House (undated)
- Q & A: Young Adults and the Affordable Care Act: Protecting Young Adults and Eliminating Burdens on Businesses and Families, the White House, (undated)
- A Long Overdue Change to Help Young Adults Get Coverage, White House Blog (5/10/10)
- Interim Final Rules for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers Relating to Dependent Coverage of Children to Age 26 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, IRS/HHS (5/10/10)
- More Support for Young Adults, White House Blog (4/27/10)
- Fact Sheet, Young Adults and the Affordable Care Act, the White House (undated)
- Giving Young Adults More Peace of Mind, HealthReform.gov Blog (4/20/10)
- Tax-Free Employer-Provided Health Coverage Now Available for Children under Age 27, IRS, 4/27/10)
- Tax Treatment of Health Care Benefits Provided With Respect to Children Under Age 27, IRS Notice 2010-38, undated