Hullabaloo: noun: a commotion, a fuss.

In recent years, almost every change to health care has caused a hullabaloo. Today, we thought you might enjoy reading about a few recent and proposed changes that, although important, have not caused quite the uproar to which we have become accustomed.

The Department of Health and Human Services has finalized the annual in-network out-of-pocket maximums for non-grandfathered health plans for 2017:

An enrollee in self-only coverage may not pay more than $6,850 for essential health benefits in 2016; for 2017, that number has increased to $7,150.

An enrollee in any coverage other than self-only may not pay more than $13,700 for essential health benefits in 2016; for 2017, that number has increased to $14,300.

Section 1411 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires federally facilitated marketplaces (but not state facilitated marketplaces) to provide notice to employers when it is determined that an employee is eligible to receive a subsidy. The final rule, however, only requires these marketplaces to provide notice to employers when an employee actually enrolls in coverage.

And, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury will be working together to finalize the updated requirements of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) after the comment period closes March 28, 2016. The proposed changes to the SBC include a revised template, instructions, and an updated uniform glossary (see here). The new SBC requirements must be satisfied by the first day of the first open enrollment period for plan years beginning on or after April 1, 2017 (or, the first day of the first plan year beginning on or after April 1, 2017 if the plan does not use an open enrollment period).

The next health care hullabaloo may be just around the corner. For now, enjoy the calm!