Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
AGENCY:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION:
Notice of a new matching program.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing notice of the re-establishment of a matching program between CMS and the Office of Personnel Management, “Verification of Eligibility for Minimum Essential Coverage Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act through an Office of Personnel Management Health Benefit Plan”. The matching program provides CMS and State Administering Entities with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data to use in determining individuals' eligibility to enroll in a qualified health plan through an exchange established under the ACA; for insurance affordability programs, certifications of exemption, and to make eligibility redeterminations and renewals, including appeal determinations.
DATES:
Comments on the matching program must be received by August 28, 2026. The matching program will be effective, and matching activity may commence, 30 days after this notice is published in the Federal Register . The matching program conducted for an initial term of 18 months, and within 3 months of expiration may be renewed for up to one additional year if the parties make no change to the matching program and certify that the program has been conducted in compliance with the matching agreement.
ADDRESSES:
Interested parties may submit comments on this notice to the CMS Privacy Act Officer by mail at: Division of Security, Privacy Policy & Governance, Information Security & Privacy Group, Office of Information Technology, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Location: N1-14-56, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or by email at Barbara.Demopulos@cms.hhs.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
If you have questions about the matching program, you may contact Terrence Kane, Director, Division of Automated Verifications and SEP Policy, Marketplace Eligibility and Enrollment Group, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, at (301) 492-4449, by email at Terrence.kane@cms.hhs.gov, or by mail at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.