DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa insurance officials say 38,000 Iowans who bought health insurance policies after the Affordable Care Act was passed into law but before the state insurance exchanges were set up in 2014 will get to keep those polices for another year.
These so-called transitional plans have been allowed to continue each year since the ACA, known as Obamacare, was implemented. The policies do not have to comply with all ACA regulations.
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen says the federal government recently announced the plans could continue for 2019.
Ommen says if these 37,000 consumers had to join the ACA, they would see rate increases between 100 percent and 400 percent and many would probably drop insurance.
The transitional plans are in addition to another 37,000 Iowans who have grandfathered plans - policies purchased before Obamacare was passed and allowed by the federal law to continue.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.