CMS has reversed course on the applicability of certain ACA provisions to health insurance issuers in the territories. While HHS previously used the Public Health Service Act definition of "state" that applied ACA market reforms to the territories, CMS has modified this interpretation in light of concerns that it is undermining the stability of the territories’ health insurance markets. Specifically, on July 16, 2014, CMS announced that HHS now concludes that the territories are not states for purposes of ACA health insurance market provisions related to guaranteed availability, community rating, single risk pool, rate review, medical loss ratio, and essential health benefits. CMS intends to issue regulations to affirm this interpretation.