The Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) has rescinded its controversial 30-minute time-out rule after an outcry from NAIFA and other agent organizations pointed out how disruptive the rule was. The rule had required advisors helping people sign up for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance to re-sign in with their federally facilitated marketplace account credentials after a 30-minute period of inactivity. And that inactivity was determined by background computer programming rather than by action being taken by the person using the website.

Health insurance advisors and agents reported considerable disruption and problems in enrolling people online as a result of the rule. They said that applications were being timed-out mid-enrollment. That forced the enrollment process to start over again from the beginning. They also noted that many enrollments could not be completed within the 30 minutes allowed.

NAIFA told CCIIO that the policy “could unintentionally harm consumer access to health insurance coverage and impede the ability of licensed insurance professionals to effectively serve their clients.”

NAIFA Staff Contact: Mike Hedge – Senior Director – Government Relations, at mhedge@naifa.org.