{"abstract":"This document contains final regulations regarding grandfathered health plans, preexisting condition exclusions, lifetime and annual dollar limits on benefits, rescissions, coverage of dependent children to age 26, internal claims and appeal and external review processes, and patient protections under the Affordable Care Act. It finalizes changes to the proposed and interim final rules based on comments and incorporates subregulatory guidance issued since publication of the proposed and interim final rules.","action":"Final rules.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY","name":"Treasury Department","id":497,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/treasury-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/497","parent_id":null,"slug":"treasury-department"},{"raw_name":"Internal Revenue Service","name":"Internal Revenue Service","id":254,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/internal-revenue-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/254","parent_id":497,"slug":"internal-revenue-service"},{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Employee Benefits Security Administration","name":"Employee Benefits Security Administration","id":131,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/employee-benefits-security-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/131","parent_id":271,"slug":"employee-benefits-security-administration"},{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2015/11/18/2015-29294.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":54,"title":26},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":2590,"title":29},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":144,"title":45},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":146,"title":45},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":147,"title":45}],"citation":"80 FR 72192","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective date. These final regulations are effective on January 19, 2016.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["TD 9744","CMS-9993-F"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2015-29294","effective_on":"2016-01-19","end_page":72294,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2015/11/18/2015-29294.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/11/18/2015-29294/final-rules-for-grandfathered-plans-preexisting-condition-exclusions-lifetime-and-annual-limits","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2015-29294?publication_date=2015-11-18","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2015-11-18/2015-29294/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":103,"page_views":{"count":41105,"last_updated":"2026-04-25 18:15:04 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Act","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201110&RIN=1545-BJ62&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"},"1545-BJ50":{"issue":"201110","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1545-BJ50/group-health-plans-and-health-insurance-coverage-rules-relating-to-status-as-a-grandfathered-health-","title":"Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Rules Relating to Status as a Grandfathered Health Plan Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201110&RIN=1545-BJ50&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"},"0938-AS56":{"issue":"201510","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0938-AS56/omnibus-group-and-individual-insurance-market-reforms-cms-9993-f-","title":"Omnibus Group & Individual Insurance Market Reforms (CMS-9993-F)","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201510&RIN=0938-AS56&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"},"1210-AB72":{"issue":"201510","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1210-AB72/final-rules-under-the-affordable-care-act-for-grandfathered-plans-preexisting-condition-exclusions-l","title":"Final Rules under the Affordable Care Act for Grandfathered Plans, Preexisting Condition Exclusions, Lifetime and Annual Limits, Rescissions, Dependent Coverage, Appeals, and Patient Protections ","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201510&RIN=1210-AB72&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0938-AS56","1210-AB72","1545-BJ45","1545-BJ50","1545-BJ57","1545-BJ62"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=HHS_FRDOC_0001","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"HHS_FRDOC_0001","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Recently Posted HHS Rules and Notices.","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2015-12-08T06:00:12Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":72192,"subtype":null,"title":"Final Rules for Grandfathered Plans, Preexisting Condition Exclusions, Lifetime and Annual Limits, Rescissions, Dependent Coverage, Appeals, and Patient Protections Under the Affordable Care Act","toc_doc":"Grandfathered Plans, Preexisting Condition Exclusions, Lifetime and Annual Limits, Rescissions, Dependent Coverage, Appeals, and Patient Protections","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Employee benefit plans","Excise taxes","Health care","Health insurance","Pensions","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements"],"type":"Rule","volume":80}