The Institute of Medicine (IOM) will release recommendations for basic health benefits to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Oct. 7, according to the Reuters article “U.S. health benefits recommendations coming October 7.”

HHS asked this independent agency in Washington to recommend what medical benefits should be offered through health insurance exchanges to the millions of Americans who will qualify starting in 2014. A spokesperson for IOM has said that the group is not developing specific benefits packages to be offered through exchanges, but is outlining methods HHS can use to determine the essential health benefits package, Reuters reported.

HHS is expected to make a final decision by the end of the year, based on the IOM report, on what benefits will be offered through insurance exchanges.