Des Moines, Iowa β Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen today issued a bulletin providing guidance to Iowa consumers and insurers regarding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (βCMSβ) decision to allow transitional policies to be extended. CMS announced on March 23, 2022, that health insurers will be allowed to continue transitional policies for policy years beginning after October 1, 2022, and will remain in effect until CMS announces that all such coverage must come into compliance with the specified requirements.
βI appreciate federal authorities listening to Iowa and providing flexibility to the Iowa Insurance Division to extend transitional policies indefinitely. Without this option, roughly 58,295 Iowans would be forced off their healthcare plans. These thousands of Iowans have renewed their transitional insurance plans that were originally purchased prior to 2014. Iowans should be assured that they have access to healthcare coverage that fits their needs and not be forced to purchase unaffordable coverage,β Ommen said. βCongress should amend the ACA to recognize this decision.β