University of Iowa Health Alliance, a coalition of four Iowa health systems, has partnered with one of the largest Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans, CoOportunity Health, to create two health plans for state residents.
UIHA includes University of Iowa Health Care in Iowa City, Mercy Health Network in Des Moines, Mercy – Cedar Rapids and Genesis Health System in Davenport, which together includes more than 50 hospitals and 160 clinics. CoOportunity Health is a federally licensed CO-OP, which is a nonprofit health insurer created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. CoOportunity Health is the only multistate CO-OP in the United States, selling health plans in both Iowa and Nebraska.
UIHA and CoOportunity Health will create two health plans and offer them on Iowa's health insurance marketplace, which will go live Jan. 1, 2014, and begin selling plans in October. Both health plan options include varying coverage levels with UIHA providers.
Both organizations expect the two health plans could be offered in more than 75 percent of Iowa's counties.
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