HHS to nix health plans that don't cover hospitalization

Modern Healthcare: Health plans offered by large, self-insured employers that do not include inpatient hospital services as a standard benefit will soon be a thing of the past, according to a notice released Tuesday (PDF) by HHS and the Treasury Department.

The federal government said many healthcare industry stakeholders raised questions and concerns about the viability of these types of “skinny plans,” and hospitals are hailing the latest guidance. Many companies have been building health benefits packages for employees to avoid paying a penalty under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. But some of those plans have excluded hospitalization benefits.

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