(a) Bases for decertification. A QHP may be decertified on one or more of the following grounds:

(1) The QHP issuer substantially fails to comply with the Federal laws and regulations applicable to QHP issuers participating in the Federally-facilitated Exchange;

(2) The QHP issuer substantially fails to comply with the standards related to the risk adjustment, reinsurance, or risk corridors programs under 45 CFR part 153, including providing HHS with valid risk adjustment, reinsurance or risk corridors data;

(3) The QHP issuer substantially fails to comply with the transparency and marketing standards in §§156.220 and 156.225;

(4) The QHP issuer substantially fails to comply with the standards regarding advance payments of the premium tax credit and cost-sharing in subpart E of this part;

(5) The QHP issuer is operating in the Federally-facilitated Exchange in a manner that hinders the efficient and effective administration of the Exchange;

(6) The QHP no longer meets the applicable standards set forth under subpart C of this part.

(7) Based on credible evidence, the QHP issuer has committed or participated in fraudulent or abusive activities, including submission of false or fraudulent data;

(8) The QHP issuer substantially fails to meet the requirements under §156.230 related to network adequacy standards or, §156.235 related to inclusion of essential community providers;

(9) The QHP issuer substantially fails to comply with the law and regulations related to internal claims and appeals and external review processes;

(10) The State recommends to HHS that the QHP should no longer be available in a Federally-facilitated Exchange;

(11) The QHP issuer substantially fails to comply with the privacy or security standards set forth in §156.260;

(12) The QHP issuer substantially fails to meet the requirements related to the cases forwarded to QHP issuers under subpart K of this part;

(13) The QHP issuer substantially fails to meet the requirements related to the offering of a QHP under subpart M of this part;

(14) The QHP issuer offering the QHP is the subject of a pending, ongoing, or final State regulatory or enforcement action or determination that relates to the issuer offering QHPs in the Federally-facilitated Exchanges; or

(15) HHS reasonably believes that the QHP issuer lacks the financial viability to provide coverage under its QHPs until the end of the plan year.

(b) State sanctions and determinations—

(1) State sanctions. HHS may consider regulatory or enforcement actions taken by a State against a QHP issuer as a factor in determining whether to decertify a QHP offered by that issuer.

(2) State determinations. HHS may decertify a QHP offered by an issuer in a Federally-facilitated Exchange based on a determination or action by a State as it relates to the issuer offering QHPs in a Federally-facilitated Exchange, including when a State places an issuer or its parent organization into receivership or when the State recommends to HHS that the QHP no longer be available in a Federally-facilitated Exchange.

(c) Standard decertification process. For decertification actions on grounds other than those described in paragraphs (a)(7), (8), or (9) of this section, HHS will provide written notices to the QHP issuer, enrollees in that QHP, and the State department of insurance in the State in which the QHP is being decertified. The written notice must include the following:

(1) The effective date of the decertification, which will be a date specified by HHS that is no earlier than 30 days after the date of issuance of the notice;

(2) The reason for the decertification, including the regulation or regulations that are the basis for the decertification;

(3) For the written notice to the QHP issuer, information about the effect of the decertification on the ability of the issuer to offer the QHP in the Federally-facilitated Exchange and must include information about the procedure for appealing the decertification by making a hearing request; and

(4) The written notice to the QHP enrollees must include information about the effect of the decertification on enrollment in the QHP and about the availability of a special enrollment period, as described in §155.420 of this subchapter.

(d) Expedited decertification process. For decertification actions on grounds described in paragraphs (a)(6), (7), (8), or (9) of this section, HHS will provide written notice to the QHP issuer, enrollees, and the State department of insurance in the State in which the QHP is being decertified. The written notice must include the following:

(1) The effective date of the decertification, which will be a date specified by HHS; and

(2) The information required by paragraphs (c)(2) through (4) of this section.

(e) Request for hearing. An issuer may appeal the decertification of a QHP offered by that issuer under paragraph (c) or (d) of this section by filing a request for hearing under an applicable administrative hearing process.

(1) If an issuer files a request for hearing under this paragraph (e):

(i) If the decertification is under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the decertification will not take effect prior to the issuance of the final administrative decision in the appeal, notwithstanding the effective date specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(ii) If the decertification is under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the decertification will be effective on the date specified in the notice of decertification, but the certification of the QHP may be reinstated immediately upon issuance of a final administrative decision that the QHP should not be decertified.

(2) [Reserved]

[78 FR 54143, Aug. 30, 2013, as amended at 79 FR 30351, May 27, 2014; 81 FR 12351, Mar. 8, 2016]