Iowa health insurance exchange

State chooses partnership exchange for now

By Carla Anderson
healthinsurance.org^TM contributor

Gov. Terry Branstad announced that Iowa and the federal government will partner to run the state’s health insurance exchange in 2014. By the following year, Iowa plans to transition to a state-run model.

The Health Benefit Interagency Workgroup — with representatives from the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Department of Human Services, and the Iowa Insurance Division — was created in 2010 to conduct exchange planning. The workgroup issued recommendations in June 2011 and continues to lead exchange planning and coordination efforts with the federal government.

Under the partnership model, Iowa will be responsible for plan management, consumer assistance, and Medicaid eligibility determination. Iowa’s plan management functions include selecting and monitoring the qualified health plans (QHP) that will offer policies on the exchange.  Iowa’s role in consumer assistance will be education and outreach, coordinating the in-person consumer assisters, and overseeing the Navigator program. The federal government will manage the exchange website and call center and fund the Navigator program. Iowa has determined that its existing information systems will work with federal systems as needed to determine eligibility for Medicaid or subsidies to purchase insurance through the exchange. Accordingly, the state sought and received a $26.6 million in August 2012 to develop a new eligibility system. In total, Iowa has received just more than $42 million in grants for exchange planning and development.

About 500,000 Iowans are expected to obtain health insurance through the exchange.

More Iowa health insurance exchange links

Updated Feb. 26, 2013

State Exchange Profile: Iowa
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation overview of Iowa’s progress toward creating a state health insurance exchange.

Affordable Care Act in Your State: Iowa

Consumer Advocate Bureau
Provides consumers with assistance in navigating the health care system, assistance programs, and other issues related to health insurance benefits.
1-877-955-1212 / consumer.advocate@iid.iowa.gov