'This amendment modifies ... the interim final regulations, which previously caused a group health plan to cease to be a grandfathered health plan if the plan entered into a new policy, certificate, or contract of insurance. The modification provides that a group health plan does not cease to be grandfathered health plan coverage merely because the plan (or its sponsor) enters into a new policy, certificate, or contract of insurance after March 23, 2010 (for example, a plan enters into a contract with a new issuer or a new policy is issued with an existing issuer). The amendment applies to such changes to group health insurance coverage that are effective on or after [November 15, 2010], the date the amendment to the interim final regulations was made available for public inspection; the amendment does not apply retroactively to such changes to group health insurance coverage that were effective before this date. For this purpose, the date the new coverage becomes effective is the operative date, not the date a contract for a new policy, certificate or contract of insurance is entered into.... Notwithstanding the ability to change health insurance coverage pursuant to the modification made by the amendment, if the new policy, certificate, or contract of insurance includes changes described in paragraph (g)(1) of the interim final regulations, the plan ceases to be a grandfathered health plan.... The amendment also provides that, to maintain status as a grandfathered health plan, a group health plan that enters into a new policy, certificate, or contract of insurance must provide to the new health insurance issuer (and the new health insurance issuer must require) documentation of plan terms (including benefits, cost sharing, employer contributions, and annual limits) under the prior health coverage sufficient to determine whether any change described in paragraph (g)(1) is being made.

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