Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Statement on Governor signing Health & Human Services budget

    “Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans worked in lock step to pass a budget rich with perks for special interests and out-of-state corporations rather than putting Iowans first. They supported taking away the civil rights of Iowans; implementing policies that will result in more unplanned pregnancies and abortions; and ignoring the concerns of Medicaid recipients, health care providers and taxpayers who are being harmed by privatized Medicaid.

    “Senate Democrats remain committed to expanding civil rights for Iowans, supporting policies that will result in fewer unplanned pregnancies and abortion, and making Medicaid accountable, affordable and sustainable again.”

    –         – end –

  • Sen. Wahls on Iowa’s need for Manufactured Home Reform

    Transcript:
    I just wanted to make sure that the body was aware of a current situation that’s unfolding across our state. Over the last several weeks and months, an out-of-state corporation called Haven Park Capital has acquired several mobile home parks across Iowa. These are currently, the ones we know about at least, are located in Waukee, North Liberty, Indianola, Iowa City, and North Liberty. And when I heard about these acquisition– two of them are in my own district–I started to take a look and understand what the current state of mobile home resident law is in our state. And the answer is it’s not very good. And I know hopefully nearing the end of session here, and we’re getting pretty late in the session, but I just wanted to put on everyone’s radar, that this company is raising the rents on folks, at least in Waukee and North Liberty, by 70 percent with only about 60 days’ notice And a 70 percent increase with 60 days notice is not very much time. And so I’m interested in working with anybody who wants to try and take a look at what’s possible to help protect folks who are being affected by these rent increases. And potentially under the gun, for increases that may be coming in other communities. I’ve had the chance to speak with Senator Kinney, whose residents in North Liberty are being affected by this. We had some of those folks just yesterday in the capitol, and we have a couple ideas about things that we can do to help protect folks. And I’ll be trying to walk around and talk with people. I want to thank Senator Rosenbloom for his interest in potentially working together on this issue. And one of the things I just want to make clear for folks, is the current law basically offers mobile home owners or residents virtually zero protection. I want to read just a quick sentence from the lease that was handed to folks in the Waukee mobile home park by this new company, Haven Park Capital. This is on page four of the lease they were handed under the 12th clause: Use of premises. “Premises,” of course, being the home. Residents shall occupy the premises and shall only use the premises as a residence and not for any commercial purposes or any purpose other than as a residence. Commercial use, among other things, is defined to include baby sitting and or childcare for individuals other than the resident’s immediate family on a regular basis. Residents shall not undertake any illegal activity including but not limited to the use, transfer, possession or creation of any illegal substance on the premises or in the community. And shall not use the premises in any other illegal or unlawful manner or contrary to any applicable law, rule, regulation or ordinances of any federal, state or municipal authorities. All that’s totally fine. Here’s the kicker. Further, residents shall not move the home from the home site without the landlords’ prior written consent which may be withheld for any reason and/or no reason. The whole point of a mobile home is that it can move. And the lease that these folks are being subjected to prevents them from being able to do that at all. So, I’m interested in working with anybody who’s willing to do some work on this. We’ve got a couple of ideas that will hopefully get some bipartisan support. I’d like to talk with you before we get out of here and go home. Thank you Mr. President.

  • News Conference: Iowans demand fix to state’s mobile home laws

  • KCCI on Waukee park’s planned 69% rent increase

    Cynthia Fodor of KCCI news talks about how Iowa legislators are working to combat the manufactured home rent crisis: wp.me/p8aBRy-77h

  • Feds launch investigative review of oversight of privatized Medicaid

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  April 17, 2019

     Key Iowa Senators applaud investigation by U.S. Inspector General

    DES MOINES – The U.S. Office of Inspector General has launched an investigative review of whether federal officials are providing sufficient and appropriate oversight to ensure that people with Medicaid are receiving the care to which they are entitled.

    Citing the lack of oversight of privatized Medicaid by Governor Reynolds and the Republican-controlled Legislature, two key Iowa State Senators today praised the new investigation.

    “Since it was launched three years ago in Iowa, privatized Medicaid has been unsustainable, unaffordable and unaccountable,” Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City and Liz Mathis of Hiawatha wrote in a letter to U.S. Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson. “There has been little effort by the Governor or majority party in the Iowa General Assembly to provide proper oversight for the out-of-state managed care organizations (MCOs).”

    The Senators added: “Medicaid advocates, policymakers and other taxpayers deserve an investigation by the Inspector General that provides an answer to the question that we have asked since the start of Medicaid privatization in Iowa: Are some MCOs putting the bottom line ahead of patient health and safety?”

    The Inspector General initiated the review of the oversight role of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) at the request of U.S. Senator Robert Casey of Pennsylvania, Ranking Member of the Special Committee on Aging.

    In his request, Casey cited reports from across the country “alleging that some Medicaid managed care companies (MCOs) continuously deny care to patients sorely in need of care. In some cases, patients have experienced entirely preventable life-altering harms.”

    “Medicaid is emblematic of who we are as a nation, reflecting who we value and the ideals we are willing to fight for,” Casey added. “We must ensure Medicaid MCOs live up to these ideals and provide Americans with the health care that they deserve.”

    In its description of the investigation, the Inspector General acknowledges that privatized Medicaid “can create an incentive to deny beneficiaries’ access to covered services.”

    “Our review will determine whether Medicaid MCOs complied with Federal requirements when denying access to requested medical and dental services and drug prescriptions that required prior authorization,” the agency’s website states.

    ###

    Links:

    Letter from Sens. Ragan and Mathis to Inspector General

    Inspector General’s website

    Letter from Senator Robert Casey to Inspector General

  • Don’t let Medicaid mess undermine children’s health insurance

    Iowa Senate News Release
    Senator Nate Boulton
    Representative John Forbes
    For Immediate Release:  April 15, 2019

     

    Don’t let Medicaid mess undermine Iowa’s successful children’s health insurance program

    Two members of the board of Hawki, Iowa’s nationally recognized Hawki children’s health insurance program, today raised concerns in a letter about maintaining quality as it becomes part of Iowa’s troubled privatized Medicaid program.

    “This is another challenging transition for Iowa families,” said Senator Nate Boulton.  “Unitedhealthcare had been a Hawki provider for more than five years.  Those families need as much support as possible to make sure their care is not interrupted.  Specifically, we must make sure providers continue to welcome Hawki kids into their care.”

    “The Hawki transition is another opportunity for the Reynolds Administration to show that it has learned from past mistakes,” said Representative John Forbes.  “Iowans were promised that a privatized health care system would increase quality and access to care. However, too often they have instead gotten more headaches and problems.”

    Hawki provides low-cost health coverage for more than 70,000 children from working families across the state.   The Hawki Board of Directors guides the Department of Human Services’ efforts to develop, implement and administer the Hawki program.

    The questions for the board included:

    • How will the Board/DHS communicate with Hawki families about the transition from UnitedHealthcare to one of the two remaining managed-care organizations, Amerigroup Iowa or Iowa Total Care?
    • How will the Board/DHS communicate with schools across the state to make sure that parents and school officials are aware of the upcoming changes?  This is especially concerning for parents/guardians because they will be scheduling annual physicals, immunizations and other routine care during the summer months.
    • How will parents/guardians learn whether they will be able to keep their current pediatrician or other health care provider if they are transitioning to Amerigroup Iowa or Iowa Total Care?
    • How will the Board/DHS ensure healthcare providers continue to see Hawki as a secure and trustworthy benefit program, one that they want to be involved with?

    -end-

  • John Oliver tackles the mobile home park crisis

    Mobile homes may seem like an affordable housing option, but large investment companies are making them less and less so.

    On HBO’s Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver takes a deep dive into the problems home owners face in mobile home parks. Iowa must address these issues and reform our manufactured housing laws.

  • Republicans once again turn their backs on suffering Iowans

    April 4, 2019

    Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom

    Republicans voted today to continue to restrict access to THC in medical cannabis. Their decision means thousands of Iowans will continue suffer needlessly.

    Iowa is the only state with a comprehensive medical cannabis program that has limits on THC medicine. Iowa has the nation’s most restrictive, most unworkable, and least compassionate medical cannabis program.

    Iowans who want to fix our state’s broken medical cannabis program should contact their legislators, especially Republicans, before the Legislature adjourns.

    ###

  • More problems for Iowa health care | Sign our petition

    Privatized, for-profit Medicaid continues to cause chaos and uncertainty for Iowa families, health care providers and taxpayers.

    On Friday, we learned that UnitedHealthcare is leaving Iowa’s managed care program. UnitedHealthcare currently is the MCO for over 70 percent of Iowans on Medicaid. That means 425,000 Iowans will again have their health care disrupted, as they are forced to switch insurance companies. This could put our most vulnerable in life or death situations.

    Governor Reynolds says that United HealthCare is unwilling to be held accountable for the quality of its services. United Healthcare claims they’re leaving due “to underfunding and the inability to create a path forward with sustainable funding.”

    Iowans are not interested in a “he said, she said” between MCOs and the Governor. The bottom line is that “three years into our costly Medicaid privatization experiment, Iowa’s dominant managed-care organization (MCO) still can’t handle normal business practices like paying health care providers on time.”

    This is just the latest in a series of problems that have plagued privatized Medicaid since its inception three years ago. Democrats have offered ideas for meaningful improvements—but time and again, they fall on deaf ears.

    Elected officials should listen to Iowans who depend on Medicaid, and to health care providers, family care givers and tax payers. Together, Iowans can fix our broken health care system. We can turn this problem into a success that will make our state healthier, stronger and a more attractive place to live.

    If you agree, please sign our petition and join Democratic lawmakers in calling on Statehouse Republicans to fix Iowa’s failed Medicaid privatization experiment. Go to iowansforqualitymedicaid.com to sign the petition—and share it with others who share our concerns!

  • Emergency Action to stop private school vouchers

    ACTION ALERT: We believe a vote on private school vouchers will be held at the Senate Education Committee meeting TODAY at 2 PM in room 22. This is the last scheduled meeting before the funnel deadline.

    IMMEDIATELY:

    1) Call the Senate Switchboard (1515-281-3371) and leave a message for your Senators.

    2) Send an email to the Republican members of the committee today. Addresses are below.

    amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov
    chris.cournoyer@legis.iowa.gov
    jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov
    jeff.edler@legis.iowa.gov
    craig.johnson@legis.iowa.gov
    tim.kraayenbrink@legis.iowa.gov
    mark.lofgren@legis.iowa.gov
    ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov
    annette.sweeney@legis.iowa.gov
    brad.zaun@legis.iowa.gov

    The proposed legislation is similar to a bill proposed last year by Senate GOP President Schneider. LSA estimated the cost of that bill to be $265 million annually.

    More information:
    Senator Celsi oped: http://bit.ly/2UneQBP-DM-Register-Celsi-Vouchers

    Senator Wahls WHO Radio: https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/videos/570267840159975/