The Iowa Insurance Commissioner recently submitted a petition for an Order of Rehabilitation for CoOportunity Health. Under this Order, CoOportunity Health is no longer offering new policies on the Iowa Health Insurance Marketplace for 2015. Susan Daniels, Chief Financial Officer at Cass County Health System, is contacting area residents who purchased this insurance product last year to be sure they are aware of the order and how it may affect their insurance coverage.

Consumers have until February 15, 2015, to make a change if they are currently CoOportunity Health customers. Those who would like assistance with their health insurance decision are encouraged to meet with the certified marketplace navigators available at Cass County Health System until February 15, 1015. The private appointments will be held at Cass County Health System in Conference Room 6, which is accessible from Parking Lot C. For more information or to make an appointment, please call either Melissa Namanny at 712-243-2850 ext. 4111 or Nancy Templeman at 712-243-3250 ext. 3411.

The Iowa Insurance Commissioner’s office has provided responses to some frequently asked questions about CoOportunity Health Insurance, which are reprinted below….

CoOportunity Health Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will I still have insurance through CoOportunity Health on January 1, 2015?
• Yes, if you enrolled on or before December 15, 2014, and you continue to make your premium payments.
• No, if you signed up on December 16, 2014 or later you will not have coverage with CoOportunity Health. You have until the end of open enrollment, which ends February 15, 2015, to enroll in another plan.

2. What is changing with my CoOportunity Health insurance policy?
• Watch for important information you may receive from CoOportunity Health, healthcare.gov, or the Iowa Insurance Division.
• Tax subsidy eligibility and amounts may change if you keep your CoOportunity Health plan. For additional information, contact www.Healthcare.gov at 1-800-318-2596, TTY 1-855-889-4325. The call center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• If CoOportunity Health is not able to be rehabilitated and an order of liquidation is entered, your coverage may be limited. State statutes create a safety net to protect policyholders when insurers go out of business. Those statutes cap coverage at $500,000 per life.

3. What does rehabilitation mean?
The Iowa Insurance Division determined that CoOportunity Health is in a hazardous financial condition. On December 23, 2014, Insurance Commissioner, Nick Gerhart, applied for and the Polk County District Court issued an order appointing the Commissioner as rehabilitator of CoOportunity Health. The company will continue in existence, but the Commissioner, as rehabilitator, is granted authority to manage the company. The Commissioner will:

• Assume management of the company.
• Attempt to correct existing problems.
• Continue operations.
• Maintain policyholder accounting.
• Develop a plan of rehabilitation or petition the court for liquidation.
Most policyholders may find it in their best interests to find other coverage before the end of open enrollment, which ends February 15, 2015.
4. If I want to remain in the marketplace and change insurance companies, where do I go?
Contact www.Healthcare.gov at 1-800-318-2596. The call center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also consult an agent, broker, navigator or certified application counselor.