Tag: Guidance

Updated Breast Pump Coverage Guidelines Provide Important Protections for Families but More Guidance May Be Needed to Increase Access

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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding infants breastmilk through their first year. One of the barriers to doing so is cost. The Affordable Care Act requires most health insurance plans to cover breastfeeding services and supplies without cost sharing, but gaps in access for enrollees have underscored the need for policy changes. CHIR expert and new mom Christine Monahan looks at new federal guidelines on the coverage of breastfeeding services and supplies going into effect next year and how they will make it easier for many parents to provide their infants breastmilk.

Obama Administration Creates a New Special Enrollment Period

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This is the first year that the marketplace is denying financial assistance to individuals who failed to file their 2014 tax return and reconcile their premium tax credits. Many of these individuals may not have had to file a tax return previously and cannot afford coverage in 2016 without financial assistance. Therefore, the administration is providing a special enrollment period for these individuals as long as they file a 2014 tax return and reconcile their 2014 premium tax credits before March 31, 2016. CHIR’s Sandy Ahn summarizes this time-limited special enrollment period.

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