Issue Briefs , Regulatory Analysis | May 15, 2015

Regulation of Student Health Plans Under Federal and State Law: An Overview

Kayla Connor and David Cusano, Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown Health Policy Institute

In March of 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a regulation defining student health plans as individual health insurance under federal law. As a result, they are now subject to the same consumer protections afforded to all those covered by individual health insurance set forth in the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the Affordable Care Act. This issue brief, prepared by the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, examines student health plans, which cover over 1 million students, and investigates the interplay between federal and state regulation with regard to these plans.


Expert Perspectives

December 1, 2023

The Proposed 2025 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters: Implications for States

On November 15, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its proposed 2025 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, the annual regulation which governs core provisions of the Affordable Care Act. This expert perspective focuses on aspects of the proposed rule likely to be of interest to state officials, including requirements for State-Based Marketplaces to align with the standards of the Federally Facilitated Marketplace, proposals for states to update essential health benefits, and initiatives to ease the eligibility and enrollment process for consumers.

CMS Releases Information Bulletin on Coverage of Services and Supports to Address Health-Related Social Needs in Medicaid

This expert perspective summarizes CMS’ new Informational Bulletin and accompanying framework which together detail Medicaid coverage options for services that address the health-related social needs (HRSN) of Medicaid enrollees. The new guidance reiterates the importance of addressing HRSNs to improve access to care and health outcomes, and summarizes (and in some cases updates) multiple previous sources of CMS guidance on how HRSN services may be covered in Medicaid, including guidance on in lieu of services authority and on HRSN coverage in section 1115 waivers.