The federal government is cracking down on eligibility checks to ensure people who sign up for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act's federal exchange outside of the enrollment period are entitled to coverage, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Here are four things to know about the issue.
1. Under the changes, which CMS announced Feb. 24, people who sign up outside of the official enrollment period will be required to provide documentation verifying their eligibility in the 38 states that use the federal health insurance exchange website, HealthCare.gov, according to the report. Those people also must check a box attesting that they are indeed eligible.
2. In addition, CMS will verify the documentation for people who sign up outside of the official enrollment period through a confirmation process, according to The Wall Street Journal. That process will involve reviewing the person's provided documents and touching base afterward if there is a question or problem. The report notes that people could lose their insurance coverage if they don't respond.
3. The new measures come in the wake of criticism from insurers. According to the report, insurers have claimed people are abusing a rule that allows consumers to sign up for insurance through HealthCare.gov, outside official sign-up periods if they meet certain criteria.
4. The changes will not take effect immediately. CMS is seeking comment from insurers, consumer advocates and others in regard to the documentation and verification process, according to the report.
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