More than 56,000 Iowans are enrolled in an individual health insurance plan for 2018 through the Affordable Care Act, according to Medica, the only insurance company left on Iowa's ACA exchange.
An Iowa Insurance Division spokesman says that number is, "roughly in line with the 18,000 to 22,000 [consumers] we expected to leave the market."
According to the division, about 72,000 Iowans had ACA-compliant individual health plans this year. The division predicted most Iowans who don’t get subsidies to help pay for health insurance would drop their coverage in 2018 due to higher premiums.
Medica estimates 20 percent or less of the 56,000 Iowans enrolled will be paying full price for insurance.
These numbers are a preliminary look at the sign-up period that started Nov. 1 and ended Dec. 15. A final count will be available after consumers pay for their first month of insurance coverage.
Consumers who are losing their insurance because their carrier left the state have 60 days to buy a new plan from the date their current coverage ends.
