[Official Guidance]

Text of Final Regulations: Summary of Benefits and Coverage and Uniform Glossary
98 pages. "On December 30, 2014, the Departments issued proposed regulations ... as well as a new proposed SBC template, instructions, an updated uniform glossary, and other materials ... The Departments received many comments on the proposed changes to the template and associated documents but received very few comments relating to the regulations. As stated in the FAQ issued on March 30, 2015, the Departments anticipate the new template and associated documents will be finalized by January 2016, and, therefore, only the comments on the regulations will be addressed in this final rule. Comments relating to the template and associated documents will be addressed when those documents are finalized...."

"The December 2014 proposed regulations proposed that these rules, if finalized, would apply for disclosures with respect to participants and beneficiaries who enroll or re-enroll in group health coverage through an open enrollment period (including re-enrollees and late enrollees) beginning on the first day of the first open enrollment period that begins on or after September 1, 2015. With respect to disclosures to participants and beneficiaries who enroll in group health coverage other than through an open enrollment period (including individuals who are newly eligible for coverage and special enrollees), the requirements were proposed to apply beginning on the first day of the first plan year that begins on or after September 1, 2015. For disclosures to plans, and to individuals and dependents in the individual market, these requirements were proposed to apply to health insurance issuers beginning on September 1, 2015. Comments received generally supported these applicability dates, except that a number of commenters suggested that the requirements apply with respect to the individual market for coverage beginning on or after January 1, 2016. These final regulations adopt the applicability dates as proposed, except that for disclosures to individuals and dependents in the individual market, the requirements apply to health insurance issuers with respect to SBCs issued for coverage that begins on or after January 1, 2016...."

"[These final regulations] establish that duplicate SBCs do not have to be provided upon application if a previous SBC was provided and there have been no changes to the required information.... These final regulations also provide flexibility in providing SBCs for the situation where a plan has multiple issuers and also adopt the safe harbor for electronic delivery previously set forth in an FAQ, thereby reducing the cost of delivery. These final regulations also require an issuer to provide an internet web address where a copy of the actual individual coverage policy or group certificate of coverage can be reviewed and obtained."

(Internal Revenue Service [IRS]; Employee Benefits Security Administration [EBSA], U.S. Department of Labor [DOL]; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS])  

[Guidance Overview]

Text of HHS Fact Sheet: Summary of Benefits and Coverage and Uniform Glossary Final Rule (PDF)
"The December 2014 proposed rules included proposed revisions to the SBC template, instruction guides, uniform glossary, and other supporting materials.... The Departments anticipate the new template and associated documents will be finalized by January 2016, and will apply to coverage that would renew or begin on the first day of the first plan year (or, in the individual market, policy year) that begins on or after January 1, 2017 (including for coverage beginning on or after January 1, 2017, for which open enrollment occurs in the fall of 2016)." (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS])  

Text of HHS Press Release: Administration Increases Transparency for Consumers Shopping for Health Insurance Coverage
"The rules enhance the consumer shopping experience in a number of ways. For example, health insurance issuers must provide online access to a copy of the individual coverage policy for each plan or group certificate of coverage. And these documents must be made publicly available to all potential consumers prior to when a consumer applies, so they are clearly informed about what a plan will and will not offer. The final rules make few changes to the rules proposed in December 2014. In continuing the goal of providing clear and straightforward information to consumers about health plans available in their area, health insurance issuers and group health plans must still provide a brief SBC that includes coverage examples and a uniform glossary to consumers." (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS])