(a) General requirements. The SHOP must ensure that enrollment transactions are sent to QHP issuers and that such issuers adhere to coverage effective dates in accordance with this section.
(b) Rolling enrollment in the SHOP. The SHOP must permit a qualified employer to purchase coverage for its small group at any point during the year. The employer's plan year must consist of the 12-month period beginning with the qualified employer's effective date of coverage, unless the plan is issued in a State that has elected to merge its individual and small group risk pools under section 1312(c)(3) of the Affordable Care Act, in which case the plan year will end on December 31 of the calendar year in which coverage first became effective.
(c) Annual employer election period. (1) Notwithstanding any other paragraph in this section, for coverage beginning in 2015 in a Federally-facilitated SHOP, a qualified employer's annual election period may begin no sooner than November 15, 2014.
(1) Notwithstanding any other paragraph in this section, for coverage beginning in 2015 in a Federally-facilitated SHOP, a qualified employer's annual election period may begin no sooner than November 15, 2014.
(2) The SHOP must provide qualified employers with a standard election period prior to the completion of the employer's plan year and before the annual employee open enrollment period, in which the qualified employer may change its participation in the SHOP for the next plan year, including--
(i) The method by which the qualified employer makes QHPs available to qualified employees pursuant to Sec. 155.705(b)(2) and (3);
(ii) The employer contribution towards the premium cost of coverage;
(iii) The level of coverage offered to qualified employees as described in Sec. 155.705(b)(2) and (3); and
(iv) The QHP or QHPs offered to qualified employees in accordance with Sec. 155.705.
(d) Annual employer election period notice. The SHOP must provide notification to a qualified employer of the annual election period in advance of such period.
(e) Annual employee open enrollment period. The SHOP must establish a standardized annual open enrollment period for qualified employees prior to the completion of the applicable qualified employer's plan year and after that employer's annual election period.
(f) Annual employee open enrollment period notice. The SHOP must provide notification to a qualified employee of the annual open enrollment period in advance of such period.
(g) Newly qualified employees. (1) The SHOP must provide an employee who becomes a qualified employee outside of the initial or annual open enrollment period an enrollment period beginning on the first day of becoming a qualified employee. A newly qualified employee must have at least 30 days from the beginning of his or her enrollment period to select a QHP. The enrollment period must end no sooner than 15 days prior to the date that any applicable employee waiting period longer than 45 days would end if the employee made a plan selection on the first day of becoming eligible.
(1) The SHOP must provide an employee who becomes a qualified employee outside of the initial or annual open enrollment period an enrollment period beginning on the first day of becoming a qualified employee. A newly qualified employee must have at least 30 days from the beginning of his or her enrollment period to select a QHP. The enrollment period must end no sooner than 15 days prior to the date that any applicable employee waiting period longer than 45 days would end if the employee made a plan selection on the first day of becoming eligible.
(2) The effective date of coverage for a QHP selection received by the SHOP from a newly qualified employee must always be the first day of a month, and must generally be determined in accordance with Sec. 155.725(h), unless the employee is subject to a waiting period consistent with Sec. 147.116 of this subchapter, in which case the effective date may be on the first day of a later month, but in no case may the effective date fail to comply with Sec. 147.116 of this subchapter.
(h) Initial and annual open enrollment effective dates. (1) The SHOP must establish effective dates of coverage for qualified employees enrolling in coverage for the first time, and for qualified employees enrolling during the annual open enrollment period described in paragraph (e) of this section.
(1) The SHOP must establish effective dates of coverage for qualified employees enrolling in coverage for the first time, and for qualified employees enrolling during the annual open enrollment period described in paragraph (e) of this section.
(2) For a QHP selection received by the Federally-facilitated SHOP from a qualified employee in his or her initial or annual open enrollment period:
(i) Between the first and fifteenth day of any month, the Federally-facilitated SHOP must ensure a coverage effective date of the first day of the following month.
(ii) Between the 16th and last day of any month, the Federally-facilitated SHOP must ensure a coverage effective date of the first day of the second following month.
(i) Renewal of coverage. (1) If a qualified employee enrolled in a QHP through the SHOP remains eligible for coverage, such employee will remain in the QHP selected the previous year unless--
(1) If a qualified employee enrolled in a QHP through the SHOP remains eligible for coverage, such employee will remain in the QHP selected the previous year unless--
(i) The qualified employee terminates coverage from such QHP in accordance with standards identified in Sec. 155.430;
(ii) The qualified employee enrolls in another QHP if such option exists; or
(iii) The QHP is no longer available to the qualified employee.
(2) The SHOP may treat a qualified employer offering coverage through the SHOP as offering the same coverage under Sec. 155.705(b)(3) at the same level of contribution under Sec. 155.705(b)(11) unless:
(i) The qualified employer is no longer eligible to offer such coverage through the SHOP;
(ii) The qualified employer elects to offer different coverage or a different contribution through the SHOP;
(iii) The qualified employer withdraws from the SHOP; or
(iv) In the case of a qualified employer offering a single QHP, the single QHP is no longer available through the SHOP.
(j)(1) Special enrollment periods. The SHOP must provide special enrollment periods consistent with this section, during which certain qualified employees or a dependent of a qualified employee may enroll in QHPs and enrollees may change QHPs.
(1) Special enrollment periods. The SHOP must provide special enrollment periods consistent with this section, during which certain qualified employees or a dependent of a qualified employee may enroll in QHPs and enrollees may change QHPs.
(2) The SHOP must provide a special enrollment period for a qualified employee or dependent of a qualified employee who:
(i) Experiences an event described in Sec. 155.420(d)(1), (2), (4), (5), (7), (8), (9), or (10);
(ii) Loses eligibility for coverage under a Medicaid plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act or a State child health plan under title XXI of the Social Security Act; or
(iii) Becomes eligible for assistance, with respect to coverage under a SHOP, under such Medicaid plan or a State child health plan (including any waiver or demonstration project conducted under or in relation to such a plan).
(3) A qualified employee or dependent of a qualified employee who experiences a qualifying event described in paragraph (j)(2) of this section has:
(i) Thirty (30) days from the date of a triggering event described in paragraph (j)(2)(i) of this section to select a QHP through the SHOP; and
(ii) Sixty (60) days from the date of a triggering event described in paragraph (j)(2)(ii) or (iii) of this section to select a QHP through the SHOP;
(4) A dependent of a qualified employee is not eligible for a special election period if the employer does not extend the offer of coverage to dependents.
(5) The effective dates of coverage for special enrollment periods are determined using the provisions of Sec. 155.420(b).
(6) Loss of minimum essential coverage is determined using the provisions of Sec. 155.420(e).
(k) Limitation. Qualified employees will not be able to enroll unless the employer group meets any applicable minimum participation rate implemented under Sec. 155.705(b)(10). [77 FR 18464, Mar. 27, 2012, as amended at 78 FR 33239, June 4, 2013; 78 FR 65095, Oct. 30, 2013; 79 FR 30350, May 27, 2014; 79 FR 42986, July 24, 2014; 80 FR 10869, Feb. 27, 2015]