Employer plans that were in place on March 23, 2010, the date the new health reform law was enacted, are referred to as "grandfathered plans" and are subject to some of the new rules but exempt from others. Beginning on September 23, 2010, grandfathered employer plans will be required to eliminate any lifetime limits on coverage and restrict any annual limits on coverage, eliminate pre-existing condition exclusions for children, and if the plan provides dependent coverage, extend that coverage to adult children up to age 26. Beginning in 2014, grandfathered employer plans will be required to eliminate any annual limits on coverage, eliminate pre-existing condition exclusions for adults, and limit waiting periods for coverage to no more than 90 days. Grandfathered employer plans will not, however, be required to alter their benefits to meet the new minimum benefit standards nor will they have to limit enrollee cost sharing or provide coverage for preventive services with no cost-sharing. In order to maintain its grandfathered status, a plan cannot reduce or eliminate benefits to treat particular conditions, increase employee cost-sharing (including deductibles, co-insurance, and co-payments) above certain thresholds, reduce the employer share of the premium cost, or change insurers. Once a plan loses its grandfathered status, it will have to comply with all the new rules.

Employers , Insurance