In an Interim Final Rule released Friday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) stated that as of June 15th, payment rates for the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) will be set to those of Medicare. Until the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many Americans with pre-existing conditions were denied insurance coverage or charged exorbitantly high premiums. PCIP, which was created under the ACA, was allocated $5 billion to enable those with pre-existing conditions to obtain insurance prior to 2014. 135,000 otherwise uninsured individuals with pre-existing conditions were granted coverage under PCIP, with claims averaging $32,108 per enrollee. Changes in PCIP payments were authorized in order to ensure program solvency until 2014. One specific example is the provision in which payments to skilled nursing facilities may be reduced by 50% as of June 15, 2013. Enrollment in federal PCIP programs was capped in February due to funding concerns. Enrollment in the 27 state-operated PCIP programs was suspended several weeks later. As of now, 17 of the state-operated PCIP programs will be administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the duration of the year. Enrollment in federal PCIP programs was capped in February due to funding concerns. Enrollment in the 27 state-operated PCIP programs was suspended several weeks later. As of now, 17 of the state-operated PCIP programs will be administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the duration of the year.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) program is providing insurance to nearly 50,000 people with high-risk pre-existing conditions nationwide. HHS released a new report demonstrating how PCIP is helping to fill a void in the insurance market for consumers with pre-existing conditions who are denied insurance coverage and are ineligible for Medicare or Medicaid coverage.

The Department of Health and Human Services has published interim final rules on the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Program.

Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Jenny Backus has released the following statement clarifying abortion coverage in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans:

On July 1, the Department of Health and Human Services will open a new "Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan" available to those who have been denied insurance, which the federal government will operate in 21 states. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia are operating their own high risk pools, all of which will be operational by the end of August. A link at Healthcare.gov allows those seeking coverage to find out how the plan works in their state.