The Iowa Farm Bureau Health Plan, designed for Iowans who don’t qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), has announced a base rate reduction for subscribers. 

Now headed into its third year, the plan continues to grow, and the reduction reflects good plan experience, says Steve Kammeyer, vice president of the Farm Bureau Health Plan. 

“This plan is working well for thousands of Iowans. It’s providing quality care and saving many Iowans as much as 50 percent on their health coverage costs,” said Kammeyer.  “Individuals who do not qualify for ACA subsidies or may have access to a group plan that is unaffordable are finding the Farm Bureau Health Plan to be a great option.”

The Iowa Farm Bureau launched its health benefit plan in 2018, at a time where nearly 30,000 Iowans were uninsured due to unaffordable healthcare costs, and families saw premiums and deductibles grow by up to 300 percent.   

The Farm Bureau Health Plan offers comprehensive benefits and preventive care, in addition to a broad provider network, and is administered by Wellmark Administrators, Inc. The plan has been a great fit for many different Iowans, ranging from young couples just starting families to older Iowans looking at retirement prior to Medicare eligibility.  Self-employed Iowans and young adults turning 26 and coming off their parent’s plan have also found the plan to be a good option. 

The Farm Bureau Health Plan helped Drew and Shannon Dietz of Nashua in Chickasaw County make the decision to both work on the farm as they start to plan a family. “My passion has really been working here on the farm, and this coverage helped us do that,” Shannon said. Until they enrolled in the Farm Bureau plan, Shannon worked a job off the farm, in large part, to maintain health coverage for their family. The young couple, who married earlier this year, are paying less than $450 per month for coverage in the Farm Bureau Health Care Plan after enrolling.  “It’s really working out well for us,” Shannon said, “especially having telehealth services paid for by the plan during a pandemic.”   

Unlike many other health plans in the market with a short enrollment window, the Farm Bureau Health Plan offers year-round enrollment. In addition, Iowans who are eligible for their employer’s health care plans but are looking for a more affordable option can enroll in the Farm Bureau plan, without penalty.

The Farm Bureau Health Plan’s three enrollment options all provide comprehensive coverage including maternity, mental health and chemical dependency, prescription drugs and no-cost preventive benefits to members. The plans all have a lifetime maximum benefit of $3 million per individual. 

For more information, contact a Farm Bureau agent or authorized independent agent, or go to www.IowaFBhealthplan.com. To be eligible, applicants must be an Iowa Farm Bureau member living in the state and not enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid.