Association Health Plans and Health Benefit Plans

March 22, 2018

SF 2349, a bill that will allow the formation of association health plans modeled after federal rules, was amended and passed on the House floor 69-30 yesterday. The amendment added language from a separate bill that allows certain agricultural organizations like Farm Bureau to create health benefit plans outside the requirements of the federal Affordable Healthcare Act. The bill requires the Iowa Insurance Commissioner to write rules governing the health benefit plans. The combined bill now goes back to the Senate. Both components passed the Senate in separate bills earlier this session. The bill aims to encourage the creation of new, more affordable options for the individual insurance market.