Lawmakers will shop for insurance benefits on exchanges

With changes coming to Congress and their aides health plans at the beginning of the year, lawmakers and some of their employees will receive personal experience with the exchanges.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a provision that requires lawmakers and certain members of their staffs to receive their health insurance through the exchanges. According to The Wall Street Journal, while there have been compromises regarding the provision, Congress picked 112 plans offered through the marketplaces for lawmakers and their aids to choose from. Each of the plans cover approximately 80 percent of medical costs and are considered to be "gold" level plans, which The Wall Street Journal reported is very similar to the benefits lawmakers currently have. Members of Congress and those employees who must receive plans through the marketplaces need to do so by Dec. 9.

Yet not all lawmakers are deciding to shop for benefits on the exchanges. According to an op-ed in the National Review, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the senator who authored the amendment that made the provision, recently decided to exempt his committee aides from the requirement. However, Grassley said his choice the secretary of the Senate advised him that his choice was legal and is within legal boundaries.