With John McCalley’s resignation from leading the Iowa Department of Aging, a contentious month for the agency serving Iowa’s seniors has come to an end. But many of the issues central to the current dispute remain on the front burner. Meeting these challenges will be a challenge to the interim director, former representative Ro Foege.
Human Resources | admin | June 23, 2010 | 
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Citizens, health care providers, legislators, they all have the same question these days. How much with the newly-enacted health care reform bill cost Iowa? Despite efforts to get an answer from national organizations, members of Congress, the Department of Human Services, or any other source, there is no definitive answer currently available.
Each day brings a new discovery on how the federal bill will change health care in Iowa. Read more…
Commerce, Human Resources | admin | April 22, 2010 | Comments (1)
Rep. Heaton
Two leading Republicans called on the legislative committee charged with overseeing Medicaid and the IowaCare program to meet for the first time in 26 months to discuss a recent report raising troubling issues over one of the state’s health care programs for lower income Iowans.
State Senator David Johnson(R-Ocheyedan) and State Representative David Heaton (R-Mount Pleasant), the ranking members of the Joint Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, wrote to the members of the Medical Assistance Projections and Assessment Council (MAPAC) calling for a meeting of the group on April 29 to discuss a state report critical of the administration of IowaCare.
Human Resources, Press Releases | admin | April 14, 2010 | Comments (0)
As the House adjourned the 2nd session of the 83rd General Assembly, the House Republican Research Staff put together an end of session wrap-up of notable bills in all committees.
With the release of the FY 2011 Health and Human Services appropriations bill this week, Iowans are finally seeing the ugly picture forced by a $172 million cut in state spending forced by legislative Democrats. While the press will focus on the pain being felt this year, they will be missing the real problem with this budget – what happens to Medicaid next year.
Since taking over control of the Legislature in 2007, legislative Democrats have had an interesting relationship with Medicaid. For many years while in the minority, Democrats attempted to portray themselves as the defenders of the program. But once they took control, the way they approached Medicaid changed. In four years, the waiting lists for the HCBS waiver programs – which keep people in their homes and out of nursing facilities – has yet to be cleared.
And while overall state spending grew by 19 percent, Governor Culver and legislative Democrats were only able to find money to give Medicaid providers a one percent increase in reimbursement rates. Instead of properly funding the program, Medicaid has been transformed into a easily accessed bank account to fund other programs and new ideas.
As Medicaid has grown, the use of General Fund resources to pay for it has dropped.
Human Resources | admin | March 15, 2010 | Comments (0)
Health care reform solutions need not come from Washington, DC. In fact, the best reforms are often those developed closest to the people. Iowans do not need to wait for national politicians to act. Instead, they can join with Iowa Republicans in pursuit of a set of common sense Iowa Health Care Initiatives and solve Iowa problems with Iowa solutions.
Here is what Republicans will do if Iowa voters give us the opportunity.
Paitent’s Right to Know Act
Iowa Republicans propose legislation to establish a statewide information hub that brings together both cost and outcome quality data in a searchable format for online consumers. Cost and quality transparency will empower consumers to make better health care decisions in a way that maximizes quality while minimizing cost.
Human Resources | admin | March 5, 2010 | Comments (0)
On Thursday, the House and Senate Commerce Committees will hold a rare joint meeting to discuss one of the bigger issues facing Iowans today – health insurance premiums. It was learned last week that 80,000 Iowans were receiving double-digit premium hikes for their state regulated insurance plans. Legislators will have the chance to ask Wellmark why this is happening and what can be done to lower the cost of health insurance for Iowans.
Commerce, Human Resources | admin | February 25, 2010 | Comments (1)
After a number of closed-door meetings, Iowa Democrats came forward Tuesday to introduce a new health care proposal. Elected officials hailed ideas having the government become a player in the insurance business and implementing direct competition with Main Street insurance agents. And to top it off, a promise to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on subsidies for insurance coverage. Iowans may be surprised to learn that this ceremony did not happen in the Rose Garden of the White House. It occurred within in the Iowa State Capitol.
Commerce, Human Resources | admin | February 1, 2010 | Comments (0)
Health Care | btrow | November 11, 2009 | Comments (0)
Health Care | btrow | November 10, 2009 | Comments (0)
Increase in Iowa General Fund (State Budget) Expenditures over the last three years:
| Per Second: $10.12
Per Minute: $607.18 Per Hour: $36,431 Per Day: $874,338 Per Week: $6,120,309 Total: $957.4 million |
Methodology: The general fund budget increased by $957.4 million over three fiscal years (FY 2008 through FY 2010). This includes federal stimulus funds that were used to cover increases in general fund spending. This figure comes from the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA). This figure does not include $52.7 million of FY 2007 supplemental appropriations that were moved into FY 2008 in order to allow the Legislature to increase spending. ($6.297 billion in FY 2010 appropriations minus $5.340 billion in adjusted FY 2007 appropriations.) |
