As the Obama administration heads into the final stretch before the online health insurance marketplaces open for enrollment Oct. 1 under the Affordable Care Act, agencies released a final flurry of regulations to implement the law in the last week of August.

Aug. 27 the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service finalized a rule on the "Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage" for the so-called "individual mandate."  The rule specifies nine categories of exemptions from making the payments, including for people who would be eligible for ACA's expanded Medicaid program but who live in states that have not expanded their programs under the law.

Aug. 28 the Department of Health and Human Services released a final rule establishing oversight and financial integrity standards for the health insurance marketplaces. The rule, which largely finalizes previous proposals, also that sets procedures for appeals on eligibility decisions for marketplace subsidies and Medicaid.