Grandfathered Plans Are Exempt from Some Provisions of the Affordable Care Act

By Adrienne Hersh, JD, ICS Legal Counsel · August 15, 20142 min read

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Summarize this article with Paxson

As confirmed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “grandfathered” plans are not subject to all requirements of the Affordable Care Act. “Grandfathered” plans are those that were in existence on March 23, 2010, and haven’t been changed in ways that substantially cut benefits or increase costs for consumers. Insurers must notify consumers who hold these policies that the plans are grandfathered, and they must offer contact information for questions.

HHS lists the following requirements for ALL health plans, whether grandfathered or not:

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About the Author

Adrienne Hersh, JD, ICS Legal Counsel

Adrienne serves as Illinois Chiropractic Society general counsel and provides legal advice and support on a wide range of legal issues affecting chiropractic physicians, including licensing and other health care regulations, scope of practice, insurance and reimbursement, business structuring, labor and employment, contracts, and litigation. Adrienne previously served for 8 years as general counsel to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation (now the Division of Professional Regulation, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation), where she was chief legal counsel responsible for overseeing all legal issues and advising the 50+ licensing and disciplinary boards, including the Medical Disciplinary Board and the Medical Licensing Board. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association Health Care Section, the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, and the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys.