SECTION13. GRANDFATHEREDHEALTHPLANS Section13 GrandfatheredHealthPlans TheAffordableCareAct(ACA)exemptscertainhealthplansthatwereineffectwhenthelawwaspassed,referredtoas grandfatheredplans,fromsomestandardsinthelaw,includingtherequirementtocoverpreventivebenefitswithoutcost sharing, haveanexternalappealsprocess,orcomplywiththenewbenefitandratingprovisionsinthesmallgroupmarket. In 2017, 23%offirmsofferinghealthbenefitsofferatleastonegrandfatheredhealthplan,and17%ofcoveredworkersare enrolledinagrandfatheredplan. Asinyearspast,somefirmshaddifficultywiththedetailsoftheterm“grandfathering”,asdescribedintheprovisionsof theACA.Wewouldnotethatsmallerfirmsinparticularappearedtohavesomeconfusionaboutwhetherornottheyare grandfathered. Manysmallerfirms,eventhoseofferingahealthplanineffectinMarch2010(whentheACAwasenacted),were unsureaboutwhethertheirplanwasgrandfathered. • Twenty-threepercentofofferingfirmsreporthavingatleastonegrandfatheredplanin2017,unchangedfrom23%in 2016[Figure13.1]. • Seventeenpercentofcoveredworkersareenrolledinagrandfatheredhealthplanin2017[Figure13.2]. – Thepercentageofcoveredworkersenrolledinagrandfatheredplanislowerthan2016(23%),continuinga declinefrom26%in2014,36%in2013,and48%in2012[Figure13.3]. The Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust / Page 204