HHS Publishes Final Regulations on Review of ?Ç£Unreasonable?Ç¥ Rate Increases by Insurers

The Department of Health and Human Services published final regulations implementing the health care reform requirements for the disclosure and review of potentially unreasonable rate increases by health insurers. Proposed regulations on this topic were issued in December 2010, and the final rule adopted most of those provisions. The final regulations establish a rate review program to ensure that a rate increase that meets or exceeds a specified threshold is reviewed by a state regulatory agency or by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to determine whether (1) the rate increase is unreasonable and (2) certain rate information has been made publicly available. A copy of the regulations is available here.