The Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota are opposing SB 87, the health care plan proposed by the South Dakota Farm Bureau. IIASD Spokeswoman Carolyn Hofer says SB 87 exempts the ag based organization from all legal protections found in South Dakota insurance law and regulations. She says for health care coverage to function properly high and low risk people need to be considered and allowing the Farm Bureau program will drive up insurance costs for everyone else.

She says the Farm Bureau is proposing their health care plan because several people aren’t covered by insurance or face a very high cost for that coverage. Hofer says farmers can be considered as an employee for insurance reasons if they’re under an association plan as noted by a legislator.

Hofer says the health care plan proposed by the South Dakota Farm Bureau in SB 87 if approved wont’ face state insurance regulations.

Hofer says the Health Care plan in SB 87 is modeled after a Tennessee Farm Bureau plan and in that state, health insurance premiums for those under the ACA have increased by 52 percent in 2018.