Arkansas Health Exchange Plan Rates To Be Released Monday

Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford told legislators and the media that the plan rates for insurance policies on the state’s forthcoming health exchange will be released on Monday (Sept. 23).

Known as the Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM), the exchange will operate with four insurance carriers providing a range of plans – gold, silver and bronze – that will offer varying benefits. Potential enrollees could qualify for subsidies or tax credits depending on income levels. The plan prices may also vary depending on an individual’s age.

The HIM is scheduled to begin operations on Oct. 1 at www.arhealthconnector.org. Enrollment for uninsured Arkansans who qualify for the plans ends on Jan. 1, 2014.

“I’m pretty optimistic about it,” Bradford told KARK’s David Goins. “But we’ll just have to wait and see when the actual facts come in.”

The exchange was set up in response to the federal health care law, the Affordable Care Act, which required states and the federal government to create a marketplace for low-income, uninsured citizens.

In Arkansas, lawmakers developed a plan known as the “private option,” which allowed the state to accept Medicaid expansion money under the ACA; however, the money will be used to subsidize certain income-eligible citizens in the HIM.

On a programming note, on KARK’s Capitol View this weekend (Sunday 8:30 am), Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford and State Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Beebe) will be guests. On Fox 16’s Talk Business (Sunday 10 pm), a health care roundtable will include QualChoice CEO Michael Stock, health policy analyst Anna Strong of Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families, and State Sen. David Sanders (R-Little Rock).