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Public Policy Initiatives
2008 - Iowa
Despite increasing costs, Iowa ranks among the best states
in terms of the number of residents who have health insurance. Various
proposals that would create a new federal role in the regulation of the
business of insurance have been offered. Many of these threaten the continued
viability of the private health insurance market in Iowa and weaken the
traditional state regulatory authority over health insurance entities.
Sustaining and strengthening the current state-regulated health insurance
model that has produced the high level of coverage is vital for both
Wellmark and its customers in Iowa.
Initiatives
Strengthen the Private Health Insurance Market in Iowa
- Oppose proposals that would serve to further segment the small
group market in Iowa and reduce broad risk-sharing.
- Support proposals that improve the ability of the individual market
in Iowa to meet the needs of consumers for affordable health insurance
products and services, e.g. provide greater flexibility for carriers
to offer lower cost options to consumers in the individual market.
- Support broad risk spreading of the costs of high risk individuals
in Iowa, including state subsidy of mandated risk pools, so that high-risk
consumers continue to have access to health insurance coverage.
- Support fair and equitable oversight of the health insurance/managed care market and adequate funding of state insurance regulatory agencies.
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