0938-AT54 201804 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0938 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS 0900 Department of Health and Human Services HHS Religious Exemptions and Accommodations for Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act (CMS-9940-F2)

The United States has a long history of providing conscience protections in the regulation of health care for entities and individuals with objections based on religious beliefs and moral convictions. These final rules expand exemptions to protect religious beliefs for certain entities and individuals whose health plans are subject to a mandate of contraceptive coverage through guidance issued pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These rules do not alter the discretion of the Health Resources and Services Administration, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to maintain the guidelines requiring contraceptive coverage where no regulatory recognized objection exists. These rules also leave the accommodation process in place as an optional process for certain exempt entities that wish to use it voluntarily.

]]> Other Significant First Time Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No Deregulatory 45 CFR 147 Pub. L. 111-148, title I No Final Action 06/00/2018 No Businesses Governmental Jurisdictions Organizations Federal Local State No No No 0938-AT20 Previously reported as 1545 Internal Revenue Service IRS Joint 1210 Employee Benefits Security Administration EBSA Joint Jeff Wu Deputy Director for Policy 0938 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS 301 492-4305 jeff.wu@cms.hhs.gov Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, MS: 733H.02, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore MD 21244