Looking for info on the health care law Branstad signed.

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Are there any resources out there that have a summary of what going on for Iowans?

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1. I found this

http://www.iowamedical.org/documents/news/061713_IowaHealthWellnessPlanSummary.pdf

I got lots of results when I googled "Iowa Health and Wellness Plan" also.



On edit: this has more info, I think. I'm not sure if the author is the same as DUer DesMoinesDem.

http://www.bleedingheartland.com/diary/6304/branstad-signs-medicaid-expansion-alternative

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2. Thanks!

That helps a bunch!

I just found this regarding Iowa and insurance exchanges:

Six Health Insurers Apply To Offer Health Care Coverage On Iowa Health Insurance Marketplace

Open enrollments scheduled to begin October 1.

DES MOINES, IOWA, July 1, 2013- Iowa’s filing deadline for participation in Iowa’s health insurance marketplace as provided for in the Affordable Care Act closed last night. In all, six companies have elected to apply to offer health plans that must meet the criteria as Qualified Health Plans. Two of the companies, Coventry Health Care of Iowa, Inc. and CoOportunity Health, are expected to offer statewide coverage for individual health care coverage, while CoOportunity Health also applied to offer statewide small group plans. Two insurers applied to offer individual and small employer group plans for smaller regional markets. Those companies are Avera Health Plans and Gunderson Health Plan, Inc. Two companies; Sanford Health and Health Alliance Midwest, Inc., have applied to offer small group plans only.

In addition, four companies have applied to offer stand-alone dental plans on the marketplace. Those companies are: The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Dentegra Insurance Company, Delta Dental Plan of Iowa and BEST Life and Health Insurance Company.

http://www.iid.state.ia.us/node/6083245

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3. Just got this email from Mike Gronstal

AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR MORE IOWANS

Expanding affordable health care for more working Iowans was a top priority during the 2013 session.

Our bipartisan work led to the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan. It’s Iowa’s approach to implementing the federal Affordable Care Act, which requires states to provide health care coverage to everyone below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (about $16,000 a year for a single person).

The goals of the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan include:

1. Making quality health care coverage available to 150,000 low-income Iowans who are currently uninsured.

2. Controlling health care costs for everyone by reducing the $1 billion in charity care provided each year by Iowa hospitals and rewarding health care providers for keeping costs down.

3. Focusing on prevention and improving health, which will help Iowa achieve the title of healthiest state in the nation.

The Iowa Health & Wellness Plan will begin on January 1, 2014. Iowans can sign up for coverage under this Plan or get private insurance through the “Health Insurance Marketplace.” Those with incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level (about $48,000 a year for a single person) will be eligible for help paying for their health insurance to ensure it is affordable.

Iowans can sign up for coverage beginning October 1. In the meantime, if you want to learn more or start looking into your insurance options, go to www.healthcare.gov. This official federal government site will answer your questions about premiums, purchasing insurance, qualifying for help and more.

More than 75 Iowa organizations fought for this expanded access to affordable health care. AARP Iowa describes the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan as “a victory for Iowa's working poor, including more than 17,000 Iowans age 50-64 that are between jobs or in jobs without health coverage.”

Business organizations, including local Chambers of Commerce, say that access to affordable health care is a workforce priority for the business community that will improve both quality of life and worker productivity.