HHS Hosts Regional Listening Sessions to Gather Input on Health Benefits Package in Affordable Care Act

Over the next few weeks, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will host several Regional Listening Sessions throughout the nation to seek comment on the establishment of an essential health benefits package provided under the Affordable Care Act.

Below are the details for each of the Regional Listening Sessions:

New York: Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to Noon, 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 3835, New York, NY, 10278. RSVP to Joynetta.Bell@hhs.gov.

Kansas City: Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to Noon, Bolling Federal Office Building, 8th Floor SSA Conference Room, 601 E. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo., 64106. RSVP by today to Cindy.Cento@hhs.gov.

Atlanta: Nov. 16, 10 a.m. to Noon, 61 Forsyth St. SW, Suite 5B95 Atlanta, Ga., 30303-8909. RSVP by Nov. 14 to ORDAtlanta@hhs.gov.

Seattle: Nov. 17, 2 - 5 p.m., Jackson Federal Building, 915 2nd Ave, South Auditorium, Seattle, Wash. RSVP to brian.chiglinsky@hhs.gov.

Denver: Nov. 18, 9 a.m. to Noon, 999 18th St. South Terrace, Suite 400, Denver, Colo., 80202. RSVP by today to Ezra.Watland@hhs.gov.

San Francisco: Nov. 21, 3 - 5 p.m., 90 Seventh St., Suite 5-100, San Francisco, Calif., 94103. RSVP to region9ord@hhs.gov.

The Affordable Care Act ensures Americans have access to quality, affordable health insurance. To achieve this goal, the law ensures plans offered in the new Affordable Insurance Exchanges offer a package of essential health benefits, which are to be defined by HHS.

The statute directs the Secretary to consider the scope of benefits provided under a typical employer plan in defining essential health benefits. To inform the Department, HHS received a survey of employer-sponsored coverage conducted by the Department of Labor as well as recommendations from the Institute of Medicine on the criteria and methods for defining and updating essential health benefits.

Now, HHS is seeking broad public input on essential health benefits from all stakeholders, including States, patients, providers, employers, legislators, insurers, and all other interested Americans.

If you plan to attend the session, HHS aska that you consider these questions in preparing your comments:
 

• In keeping with the title of the Institute of Medicine report “Essential Health Benefits—Balancing Coverage and Cost”, how can the Department best meet the dual goals of balancing the comprehensiveness of coverage included in essential health benefits and affordability?
• How might the Department ensure that essential health benefits reflect an appropriate balance among the categories so that they are not unduly weighted toward any category?
• What policy principles and criteria should be taken into account to prevent discrimination against individuals because of their age, disability status, or expected length of life as the Affordable Care Act requires?
• What models should HHS consider in developing essential health benefits?
• What criteria should be used to update essential health benefits over time and what should the process be for their modification?

To register for the event, please send an email with your name, organization, title, email address and phone number to the designated RSVP by the RSVP due dates listed above. (NOTE: In some locations, RSVPs are needed for building security and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis). If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please contact Brian Chiglinsky, HHS Office of External Affairs, at 202-619-1066 or brian.chiglinsky@hhs.gov.