The final regulations do not establish any additional requirements to disclose the decision. The Departments believe that the current notice and disclosure standards for health plans provide individuals with an adequate opportunity to know that the employer has elected the accommodation for its group health plan and that they are entitled to separate payment for contraceptive services from another source without cost sharing.
The current standards require that, for each plan year to which the accommodation applies, a TPA that is required to provide or arrange payments for contraceptive services and a health insurance issuer required to provide payment for these services, provide to plan participants and beneficiaries written notice of the availability of separate payments for these services contemporaneous with (to the extent possible), but separate from, any application materials distributed in connection with enrollment or re-enrollment in health coverage.
On July 10, 2015, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury (Departments) released final regulations on the ACA’s women’s preventive care coverage requirement.
These regulations:
• Finalize an accommodation for eligible nonprofit organizations and for- profit businesses with religious objections to providing contraceptive coverage, including related documentation standards.
• Clarify general rules on the coverage of preventive services generally.
The regulations are applicable on the first day of the first plan or policy year beginning on or after Sept. 12, 2015.
