Tag: Iowa health insurance

Health insurance deadline missed by Iowa

flood Insurance payments time

Key date was not met by the state in order to comply with the new federal healthcare law. A key deadline for the states to meet in order to comply with the new federal healthcare laws has come and gone and Iowa’s commissioner has now issued a letter explaining that they will not be able to meet this health insurance exchange planning date. Governor Terry Branstad’s insurance commissioner has confirmed the deadline has been missed. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gave the states until September 30 in order…

Read More

Iowa lawmakers claim that the state’s high risk insurance pool is a colossal failure

Iowa legislators met in the Senate on Monday to discuss the state’s federally-funded high risk insurance pool. Lawmakers were given copies of an editorial from the Des Moines Register during the meeting which outlined the program’s failure to enroll HIV-positive residents. The meeting quickly grew heated as lawmakers questioned members of the state’s Insurance Division over the matter. The insurance pool’s executive director, Cecil Bykerk, was also in attendance at the meeting and was subjected to questioning as well. Senator Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, had strong criticism for the insurance…

Read More

Veridian Credit Union of Iowa implements new health insurance program that aims to make employees healthier

The rising cost of health care is beginning to put a great deal of strain on U.S. employers. Along with the soaring costs of health care, insurance is also rising, compounding the financial troubles faced by employers. Veridian Credit Union in Iowa is taking an aggressive stance of the health of its employees by introducing a new wellness program that is designed to keep the company’s health costs down. The program comes with coverage for voluntary screenings but also includes a steep penalty for those continuing unhealthy habits. The credit…

Read More

Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield not entirely sold on insurance exchange

Julie Campbell

The largest insurance provider in Iowa, Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, is still debating whether or not it wishes to take part in the insurance exchange in the state. If this insurer does not take part, it could be destructive to the entire insurance exchange initiative. The state insurance exchanges are considered to be a key component of the healthcare reform program for the entire country. Supporters of the exchanges are saying that the systems and services they will establish will assist millions of small businesses, families, and individuals to better…

Read More

Federal officials ready to debate health insurance rate increase of 10% or more

U.S. officials are getting ready to debate whether or not increases in the rates for health insurance of 10 percent or more were excessive within seven states which have rate review processes that have been labeled ineffective.  The rate review systems for Louisiana, Alabama, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho, Missouri, as well as four territories have been deemed to be insufficient by the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). The CCIIO is a branch of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.   According to the CCIIO, federal officials, under…

Read More

Des Moines opts back into self insurance program to cut costs

S.Vagus

Health insurance for city workers in Des Moines, Iowa, is becoming less expensive. Earlier this week, the City Council moved to make a switch back to a self-insurance system for its employee’s health plans. This is the first time since 2003 the city has opted to participate in such a system. City officials hope that the change will help save money on policies across the board. They expect it will also save taxpayers money – to the tune of $1million annually. The City Council is currently expanding their efforts to…

Read More

A struggle over Iowa mental health care system reform

Nordstrom

In Iowa, the burden of mental health care is often shouldered by individual counties. As such, each county is tasked with handling these issues as they see fit. Iowa is home to 99 different counties, meaning that the definition of coverage can be radically different from county to county. Who can receive care, and the type of care they are eligible for, is subject to the whims of the local budget. This system has existed for several years, but now state legislators are considering making changes. Many citizens regard the…

Read More