Transitional plans can stay in force until December 2021. That is if states and carriers allow it!
This marks the seventh extension of the transitional relief program, permitting renewals of pre-ACA plans that were purchased by employer groups before October 1, 2013.
The Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on January 31, 2020 the extension, which now puts the compliance of these grandmothered plans to terminate by the end of 2021 or come into compliance with the ACA as of the start of 2022, regardless of their renewal date.
But by the end of 2021, all non-grandfathered health plans that are not yet fully compliant with the ACA will have to be replaced with ACA-compliant coverage, purchased either on or off-exchange — assuming there’s not another extension.
Read more from our BLOG post regarding last year's extension including what Grandmothered and Grandfathered plans are.