Feb. 5, 2010 – State Senator Jack Hatch has introduced a bill (SF 2092) establishing a Health Insurance Exchange (the "Iowa Choice Exchange") based on preliminary recommendations from the Legislative Health Care Coverage Commission created through legislation enacted in 2009 to make recommendations for expanding access to quality, affordable health care coverage. The bill requires the Exchange to establish quality and affordability standards for three levels of coverage (basic, intermediate, and comprehensive) to be offered through the Exchange and establishes an insurer assessment to fund the operation of the Exchange. The bill also requires all individual and group insurers in the state to participate in an information clearinghouse for consumers and businesses to compare available health insurance plans in the state.
Iowa Enacts Health Reform Legislation
May 21, 2009 – On May 19, 2009, Governor Culver signed health reform legislation that establishes a "Health Care Coverage Commission" to study and develop methods to affordably insure all citizens through public programs, private insurance, and other mechanisms. The Commission is charged with:
Recommending options for coordinating a "Children's Health Care Network" to cover children under the age of nineteen with a family income less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level through the modification of existing public programs that maximizes federal funding and to provide access to affordable private coverage for children not eligible for public programs.
Evaluating ways to ensure a seamless transition between public programs and private health insurance coverage for children and adults.
Developing options that would provide individuals and families with access to three separate affordable benefit plans (basic, intermediate, and comprehensive) that could be subsidized for those with lower incomes, with the goal of providing plans and subsidies that limit spending to 6.5% of family income.
Studying options to pool employees of counties, cities, schools, community colleges, nonprofit employers, and small employers with the state employee health plan.
Evaluating the ramifications of requiring employers with more than ten employees to offer a Section 125 cafeteria plan to their employees for the pretax purchase of health insurance coverage.
Studying options for the development of an "Exchange" or "Connector" type structure to provide access to affordable health care coverage through an existing government agency or a newly created entity.
