Executive Summary: The Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (HHS) have published final regulations implementing the requirement imposed by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that group health plans and health insurance issuers provide an HHS-approved "easy to understand" summary of benefits and coverage explanation (SBC) and uniform glossary of terms prior to enrollment or re-enrollment or prior to delivery of the certificate of coverage. The final regulations extend the applicability date for the disclosure requirement to plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2012.

The SBC requirement applies to insured and self-funded group health plans, regardless of grandfathered status, and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage.

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