30 Health Insurance Plans Proposing Double-Digit Increases

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thirty individual health insurance plans in Iowa are proposing double-digit increases for next year, citing higher medical and prescription drug costs and greater use of services.

The proposed hikes would apply to plans sold on the health insurance exchanges created under the federal health care law, as well as individual coverage sold through brokers and agents.

The rate proposals were posted online by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Rate increases were only disclosed on the website if they were proposed to grow by 10 percent or more.

Wellmark Health submitted 16 proposed such increases, the largest being 35 percent. Coventry Health Care of Iowa proposed 12 plan hikes, the largest being 20 percent.