Health Insurance Policy Relief for Mississippians Extended by Federal Government

JACKSON, Mississippi, April 11 -- The Mississippi Department of Insurance issued the following news release:

Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney announced today that the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has once again granted permission to extend transitional relief for insureds living in Mississippi.

"This action by HHS will help us continue bringing stability to the health insurance market and keep rates affordable for small business and individuals in Mississippi. Without it, over 95,000 Mississippians could join the ranks of the uninsured," Chaney said.

In 2013, HHS allowed individuals and small groups to maintain certain "Grandmothered" insurance plans, also known as Transitional Plans. These are plans that were purchased after the enactment of the Affordable Care Act and before October 1, 2013, that were not required to comply with certain ACA reforms. Transitional relief was originally set to expire at the end of 2017, and last year HHS granted an extension through 2018. This latest extension goes through December 31, 2019.

Commissioner Chaney expressed gratitude to Senator Roger Wicker and the staff of Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith for their assistance in obtaining the extension of transitional relief. The Commissioner and the MID has worked since early 2016 to seek the extension of the transitional relief policy for Mississippians. These individuals would have seen an average rate increase of more than 75 percent had the policy been allowed to expire.