On Friday, Iowa met the deadline for states choosing a health exchange partnership with the federal government and submitted required documents to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
As defined in Iowa's marketplace blueprint, the state will continue to regulate insurance plans, manage the state's coverage offerings and oversee companies participating in the exchange, according to Sioux City Journal.
Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and New Hampshire are among seven states that opted to create a hybrid exchange with the federal government. While these governments will be in charge of consumer assistance and managing local plan offerings, Washington will handle the technological responsibilities of building and running exchange websites, marketing and determining insurance eligibility for government subsidies, AARP Blog reports.
Meanwhile, half of the states, including Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have chosen to let the federal government take full responsibility for their online marketplaces. Common reasons for the decision include cost, lack of information and autonomy, and political opposition, the blog explains.
Seventeen states and the district of Columbia have received condition approval for their exchange blueprints. Roughly 12 million U.S. residents are expected to shop for and purchase healthcare using the online marketplace next year.