In June of 2013, Governor Terry Branstad signed Senate File 446 into law, which authorized health care delivery and payment system reforms including expanded use of medical homes and ACOs.
Iowa is implementing a comprehensive PCMH-based health care payment and delivery system that will reduce health care costs, improve population health and improve patient care. Iowa is transforming health care across the state through the integration of several legislative initiatives including Health Homes, Integrated Health Homes (IHH), the Balancing Incentives Payment Program (BIPP), the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, and the Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) Redesign. Wellmark, the predominant private payer across the state of Iowa, is partnering with the state in its effort to implement multi-payer ACO methodology statewide. Iowa plans to implement regional ACOs for Medicaid enrollees statewide in January of 2016.