ACA Round-Up: Oregon 1332 Waiver Approved, Silent Returns Rejected, And More

On October 19, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved Oregon’s 1332 state innovation waiver proposal. This is the fourth 1332 waiver proposal CMS has approved and the third proposal involving a reinsurance program. Oregon will reinsure 50 percent of claims, in excess of an attachment point to be determined, up to $1 million.
Oregon is financing part of its program through a 0.3 percent tax on major medical premiums but projects that the program will reduce premiums by 7.5 percent in 2018, 7 percent in 2019, and 6.4 percent in 2027 compared to what premiums would have been without the waiver. The waiver approval does not state how much federal money will be passed through to Oregon from reduced federal payments for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions to assist in paying for the program.
IRS Will No Long Accept ‘Silent Returns’
The Internal Revenue Service has released a guidance informing tax professionals that it will not accept electronically filed tax returns for 2017 unless the taxpayer indicates that he or she had minimum essential coverage as required by the Affordable Care Act’s individual responsibility requirement, claims an exemption from the requirement, or pays the individual responsibility penalty. Paper returns that do not address the coverage requirement may be suspended until additional information is received and refunds may be delayed.
The IRS had intended to cease accepting “silent returns” that do not indicate ...

Source: Health Affairs Blog - October 19, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Timothy Jost Tags: Following the ACA 1332 waivers individual responsibility requirement minimum essential coverage Source Type: blogs