The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace health plan payment parameters and essential benefit standards for 2016. The rule addresses numerous policies, including: allocation of risk corridors collections for 2016; recalibration of risk adjustment factors; revisions to reinsurance and cost sharing parameters; user fees for federally-facilitated exchanges; standards for qualified health plans, including quality improvement strategy and provider directory requirements; Small Business Health Options Program requirements; conditions that trigger rate review; clarification that coverage satisfying the minimum value requirement must include substantial coverage of inpatient hospital and physician services; medical loss ratio program revisions; new policies and procedures for enrollee requests for prescription drugs not included on a plan’s formulary; and establishment of the 2016 annual open enrollment period as November 1, 2015 through January 31, 2016.  The final rule will be published on February 27, 2015. A related CMS fact sheet is available here.