A Health Plan Built Around Our Member Organizations
IEBP stands for the Iowa Education Benefits Program. Since 1987, IEBP has brought schools and other education organizations together to offer health and welfare benefits to their employees and families.
Today, IEBP serves about 1,400 employees and 2,300 covered members. Rather than each organization managing every part of its health plan alone, participating organizations work together through the IEBP Trust.
IEBP is guided by a Board of Trustees representing its participating organizations. Its focus is helping provide sustainable benefits that serve members over time.
WHY THE CHANGE?
More Control. More Clarity. More Options.
Healthcare costs are changing quickly. Prescription drugs, specialty treatments, and other care costs all affect what health plans spend.
IEBP’s Board reviewed options for managing those costs while continuing to serve members. On October 7, 2026, the Board voted to move to a fully self-funded plan.
What Does “Self-Funded” Mean?
Under a self-funded health plan, the IEBP Trust uses plan funds to pay covered healthcare claims. Instead of relying on a traditional insurance company to take on those costs, IEBP takes a more direct role in funding the plan.
UMR will handle the day-to-day work of processing medical claims and helping administer the plan. UMR is the plan administrator, not the organization funding the claims.
How is the plan protected?
IEBP has also selected stop-loss insurance through Tokio Marine HCC. Stop-loss is special insurance that helps protect the Trust if one person has very high claims or if total claim costs are unusually high.
This protection is for the Trust. It does not replace the benefits or out-of-pocket limits shown in your member plan documents.
Why Change on January 1 Instead of July 1?
January 1 is meant to make the switch easier for members.
Each January, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums reset under the current plan calendar. Making the change at that point helps IEBP avoid moving a full set of midyear spending records between administrators.
A July 1 switch would require records from both Wellmark and EBS showing what members have already paid toward their deductibles and out-of-pocket limits. That information could take two to three months to show correctly for care providers.
During that gap, members could already be getting care and filling prescriptions. Starting January 1 reduces this risk because the plan’s annual spending limits are starting over at the same time.
UMR will also handle medical claim processing under the new setup, rather than claims having to move through the current Wellmark and EBS arrangement.
What Changes for You?
Here is what we can share today. We will add more details as they are confirmed.
Your doctors: Please wait for confirmed network instructions before assuming a doctor or facility is in-network. We will add an official provider search tool and steps to check your care team.
New administrator: UMR will manage medical claims and plan administration beginning January 1, 2027.
Provider network: IEBP selected access to the UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus network. This network includes providers across the country, which may help members who travel or have covered family members living away from home.
Your ID card: [TO CONFIRM: Whether new ID cards will be issued, when they will arrive, and how to access a digital card.]
Your coverage and costs: [TO CONFIRM: Any changes to covered services, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, out-of-pocket limits, and payroll contributions.]
Prescription benefits: [TO CONFIRM: Pharmacy benefit manager, pharmacy network, drug list, mail-order steps, and any new pharmacy ID card.]
Ongoing care: [TO CONFIRM: Guidance for planned procedures, prior authorizations, ongoing treatment, and specialty medications.]
Your IEBP Health Plan Is Changing January 1, 2027