Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • New Iowa health care disaster approaches: End of hawk-i

    State of Iowa facing millions more in costs while kicking 44,000 children off health insurance

    DES MOINES  –  Iowa’s outstanding health insurance for children is at risk due to the Congressional failure to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Without federal action, the state of Iowa faces millions more in costs even though 44,000 fewer children would be insured.

    State Senator Nate Boulton of Des Moines, a board member for Iowa’s nationally praised hawk-i children’s health insurance program, called for “swift, firm, united action” after the organization’s Monday board meeting.

    “This crisis affects families in every county of this state. This is an ‘all hands on deck’ moment for Iowa’s elected leaders,” said Boulton. “In January, the Legislature should immediately approve a resolution officially requesting that Congress reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Then, we should all be urging Governor Reynolds to travel to D.C. to make that case to the House, the Senate, and President Trump.”

    On September 30th, Congress failed to reauthorize CHIP for the first time in the nearly 30 years of the program’s existence.

    There are two components to hawk-i, Iowa’s version of CHIP.  One covers the 16,000 Iowa kids enrolled in Medicaid expansion. They are the lucky ones in that they will continue to have health insurance for at least the next two years.  However, without a federal reauthorization of CHIP funding, Iowa’s state budget will be required to cover the shortfall. That will mean additional costs of $10 to $15 million per year to Iowa’s already troubled state budget.

    Things are much worse for the 44,000 Iowa children enrolled in Iowa’s nationally-recognized hawk-i program. Those children will lose their health insurance completely when funding runs out, something that is expected to happen this February.

    “We need swift, firm, united action to prevent a children’s health care crisis in Iowa,” Boulton said. “It’s this simple: If CHIP isn’t reauthorized, 44,000 fewer children in our state will have access to the high quality health care hawk-i provides.”

    -30-

  • Governor Reynolds’ claim to balance budget ‘without cuts to education’ is astoundingly false

    Sept. 21, 2017

    Statement by Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee

    “Reynolds apparently wants to forget about the nearly 250,000 students who attend Iowa’s colleges and universities, but they really took it on the chin from her budget.  SF 130 resulted in $4.75 million being cut from the community colleges, $9.24 million cut from the University of Iowa, $8.99 million from Iowa State, and $2.52 million from UNI.  Private college students ducked any cut for FY2017, but they lost $2.8 million from their Iowa Tuition Grant scholarship fund for this school year.

    “As a direct result of Reynolds’ education cuts, Regents university students this fall got a ‘welcome back’ surprise of a steep tuition hike.  At ISU, the increase was two and a half times what students had initially been told.

    “Bad enough that Reynolds would levy a ‘tuition tax increase’ on students and their families, but then to fib about it and pretend it didn’t happen is just dishonest.  Iowans deserve better.”

    end

  • Senator Hart hosting Iowa Water Quality Summit in DeWitt

    Iowa Senate News Release

    Senator Hart hosting Iowa Water Quality Summit in DeWitt on Tuesday, August 1

    More information: www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/event/iowa-water-quality-summit/ and www.facebook.com/events/734488126736114

    Senator Rita Hart of Wheatland is hosting a non-partisan summit to discuss improving water quality in Iowa.

    The event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1, at Central DeWitt High School, 425 E. 11th Street, DeWitt. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and several organizations will have informational tables in the atrium.

    A number of local and statewide organizations will participate in the summit.

    “I invite the public to come and learn from the experts and begin to discuss the challenge of balancing the needs of the agricultural economy and wastewater management with the demand for clean water,” said Senator Hart.

     

    -End-

  • Urge Gov Reynolds to let parents affected by individual health insurance crisis to buy hawk-i children’s health insurance

    Iowa Pediatrician Amy Shriver, MD, and State Senator Janet Peterson support allowing parents unable to buy insurance on the individual market to buy into hawk-i, Iowa’s children’s health insurance plan..

    July 24, 2017  (Des Moines)  Today at the Iowa Statehouse, a state senator and an Iowa pediatrician proposed a plan to protect more than 11,000 Iowa children from losing health insurance on January 1 of next year.   The children’s parents are among those who would lose all access to health insurance if the individual market in Iowa collapses or the policies in the individual market are not affordable.

    “There is a very real possibility that 72,000 Iowans could be without health insurance next year.  Governor Reynolds should immediately ask the Trump Administration to allow Iowa families to purchase health insurance for their children through hawk-i, Iowa’s children’s health insurance program,” said State Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines.  “This is a simple, affordable and straightforward solution that would give thousands of Iowa families the certainty that health care will at least be there for their children.”

    Hawk-i provides health and dental insurance to children aged 18 and under from lower income families.  Parents pay premiums on a sliding scale and the rest of the costs are picked up by the state and federal government.  The program was established with strong bipartisan support in 1999.  Iowa’s program has earned widespread praise for providing high quality care, being easy to use, and having low administrative costs.

    Under the proposal, Iowa families unable to purchase health insurance elsewhere could buy insurance for their children through hawk-i.  Parents would pay the full cost of the premiums, which are expected to be affordable due to the relatively low cost of insuring children.

    “We already collect premiums based on a family’s ability to pay,” said Petersen. “We aren’t asking for additional federal or state dollars to make this plan happen.  All we need is the federal government’s permission to allow Iowa parents to buy into hawk-i.”

    Dr. Amy Shriver, a Des Moines pediatrician, said: “Access to healthcare, including oral care, is essential to children’s healthy development and future success.  Children learn best when they are healthy and safe. Children need regular, preventive well-child checkups.”

    Petersen’s experience with these issues includes her past service on the hawk-i Board of Directors and years of experience working with insurance issues as a leading member of the Iowa Senate’s Commerce Committee.

    “Iowa families on the individual market are small business owners, self-employed, or work for organizations that don’t offer group plans. They are just a few short months away from losing their health insurance and are without affordable alternatives.  With no sign of a viable solution coming from Congress, we need Governor Reynolds to act,” said Petersen.  “Governor Reynolds, please ease these parents’ fears.  Use your power to push for a solution Iowans can actually afford – especially for our kids.”


    Summary: Keeping Iowa’s Kids Insured

    Background:

    • Iowa has consistently ranked in the top states in the country for children’s access to health care and dental care.
    • Iowa’s Children’s Health Insurance Program provides coverage to over 60,000 children.
    • The covered services under hawk-i are approximately equivalent to the benefit package of the state’s largest HMO at the time the program was initiated.
    • Providing medical care through health insurance that includes essential health benefits is less costly, produces better results, and helps prevent unnecessary, costly visits to emergency rooms.

    The threat to health care coverage for more than 11,000 Iowa children:

    • It is possible that Iowa will have no insurance plans available in the 2018 individual market. Wellmark and Aetna have already dropped out.  Medica intends to stay in the marketplace and has requested a 43% rate increase.  There is no guarantee Medica will not back out later.
    • Iowa’s Insurance Commissioner has responded to the problems with the individual market by with a “Stop Gap Proposal” that is pending with CMS. The “Stop Gap Proposal” would use the federal funding that today provides ACA subsidies and cost sharing reductions to allow Iowans to purchase a public option plan, similar to a silver level ACA plan.  This plan will be available for purchase to all Iowans, some with a subsidy.  Families earning more than over 400% of the federal poverty level would not be eligible for a subsidy.
    • Both options under the “Stop Gap Proposal” will be very expensive. With Medica’s premiums going up 43%, many families will not be able to afford the plans, even if they get a subsidy.  can only buy into the program in January and must stay in all year to remain eligible.

    The Iowa Senate Democrats’ Expanded hawk-i Proposal: Making sure more than 11,000 kids have health care

    • More than 11,000 Iowa children receive their insurance coverage through an individual market plan purchased by their parents. They will not have access to health care if their parents cannot afford to buy a Medica or Stop Gap plan or the plans are not available.
    • In order to keep children insured, it is proposed to allow parents to buy into the hawk-i plan for their children ages 18 and below. It could also cover children up to age 26 as all private plans must currently do.
    • Expanded hawk-i would be available to families with incomes above 300% of the federal poverty level. (Those below 300% are already eligible for hawk-i.)

    Conclusion: Governor Reynolds should ask CMS for emergency approval to allow Iowa parents with incomes over 300% of the federal poverty level to purchase, without subsidy, hawk-i coverage for their children.  These families may be without any other options in Iowa in 2018.

  • Legislators offer next steps to improve child welfare

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: July 6, 2017


    Postponing Oversight until the next tragedy is NOT ACCEPTABLE

    Legislators fear more children under state care will suffer due to inaction by Republican leaders of the Legislature’s oversight committees.

    On June 5, the Iowa House and Senate Government Oversight Committees officially met to consider failures to protect children in state care. That meeting came in response to the horrific deaths of Natalie Finn and Sabrina Ray, and after months of public pressure and unofficial meetings organized by Senate Democrats.

    Following the June 5 meeting, State Senators Matt McCoy and Janet Petersen, members of the Senate Government Oversight Committee, sent the committee’s Republican co-chairs a letter outlining steps needed to better protect at-risk children.

    The following month, there has been no response.

    “Do the Iowa Legislature’s Republican leaders really plan to wait until another child dies before they take this issue seriously?” asked Senator McCoy. “The Oversight Committee’s job is to prepare fundamental, effective recommendations and reforms for passage during the next legislative session. So far, Republican legislators have only made things worse with deep cuts to human services.”

    The Iowa Department of Human Services recently announced that it had hired an out-of-state consultant to help review its child protective system. Senate Democrats believe Iowans deserve an independent review from the Government Oversight Committee.

    “The Department of Human Services shouldn’t be in charge of overseeing its own review,” said Senator Petersen. “It is clear the state of Iowa is not protecting our children when we have two unrelated situations where a child was adopted out of state foster care, isolated in an unregulated homeschool setting and starved to death. If that doesn’t warrant a Government Oversight investigation, I’m at a loss for what does.”

    Below are the steps McCoy and Petersen have suggested to ensure the safety of Iowa’s most vulnerable kids. They include:

    • Monthly Government Oversight meetings during the interim
    • Making sure all child protective workers can discuss concerns without retaliation
    • Addressing the problems that lead to thousands of reports of abuse going unchecked
    • Preventing further budget cuts to DHS child protective services
    • Requiring all foster care children to attend public or private schools
    • Requiring all homeschooled children to register yearly with the Department of Education and have an annual physical exam.

    A copy of the letter sent to the co-chairs of the Legislature’s State Government Oversight Committee is available at http://wp.me/a8aBRy-66c .

    ************************************

    Senator Matt McCoy and Senator Janet Petersen – Necessary Next Steps for Protecting Iowa Children

    At the first Joint Government Oversight Committee meeting held by the Republican legislative majorities, we learned the Iowa Department of Human Services is planning to hire an out-of-state consultant to help them review their own department after the horrific deaths of two Iowa girls who were adopted out of our state’s foster care system and starved to death in completely unregulated “homeschool” settings.

    It has been four weeks since the Government Oversight Committee adjourned.  We have yet to hear from the committee’s co-chairs Senator Breitbach and Rep. Kaufmann about plans for additional hearings.

    The Government Oversight Committee should continue to explore innovative solutions to prevent children from falling through the cracks in our system.

    Iowa children deserve the chance to grow up in safe and loving homes.  We can make that happen.

     

    Senator Matt McCoy and Senator Janet Petersen propose the following:

    • Monthly Government Oversight meetings during the interim to review the progress of the Department of Human Services (DHS) and to hear from the DHS review team, parent groups, frontline DHS workers, Department of Education, home schooling coordinators, patrol officers, Child Welfare Advisory Committee, Iowa Child Death Review Team and current and future vendors who hold contracts with DHS.
    • The Department’s review with an external partner they are hiring is not an autonomous process and should not replace the legislature’s need to review as well.

     

    We call on the newly appointed Department of Human Services Director, Jerry Foxhoven, to do the following:

    • Fix the system: Child protective workers do not have the ability to speak up about problems impacting the safety of our children, foster parents, and even themselves, without the risk of getting fired.  Ensure all child protective workers are protected to speak out and discuss problems openly without retaliation.  Employees shouldn’t have to worry about getting fired for speaking the truth about budget cuts, policies or problems.
    • Fix the system: Thousands of reports of abuse go unchecked because they are rejected at Iowa’s centralized intake center.  The centralized intake system takes away local relationships and knowledge that may be helpful on reported cases.
    • Fix the system: DHS is denying a larger numbers of abuse calls.  If a caregiver is not involved, the case is not accepted even though it may clearly be a case of abuse.  If not enough information is provided, it is denied.  It is unclear if criminal cases are referred to law enforcement.  Proper checks and balances – including tracking these rejected cases – are not in place.

     

    We call on Governor Reynolds to do the following immediately:

    • Protect our children: A thorough review of case plans to ensure we know where these kids are and get safety nets reestablished.
    • Protect our children: Child protective workers are overworked and carry unmanageable caseloads.  The department is dangerously understaffed.  Several Iowa counties don’t even have one caseworker.  Some case workers must cover multiple counties.  Governor Reynolds should transfer funds to ensure DHS child protective services do not suffer another funding blow.
    • Protect our children: Iowa’s law that removed any regulation on homeschooling has given bad parents the power to isolate abuse and starve children.  The department has no idea how many Iowa foster children are in these types of settings.  Immediately direct the Department of Human Services to require all foster care children to attend public or private school. IOWA KIDS MUST NOT FALL OFF THE RADAR.
    • Protect our children: All homeschool children should be registered annually with the Department of Education and get a physical exam turned in before school year begins.
    • Protect our children: Make sure Iowa’s foster care children are getting the same educational opportunities as other Iowa kids.  As Governor Reynolds stated back in 2016 in a letter to the editor, “In a knowledge-based, global economy, the careers of today and tomorrow demand stronger skills, including science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.  All students need to finish high school ready for college or career training. This begins with regular attendance in school.”

    end

     

  • Latest state deficit figures show GOP budget is ‘out of whack’ and hurting Iowa families

    A statement from Senator Joe Bolkcom, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee:

    “Iowa is not in a recession. Iowa is experiencing slow revenue growth because the policies of Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are out of whack. Delaying tax refunds for Iowa families and other gimmicks will not solve this budget mess.

    “Republicans must stop showering tens of millions on large tax giveaways to out-of-state corporations.  These tax giveaways now top $500 million annually and are the fastest growing part of the state spending.
    “The really bad news is that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are balancing the budget on the backs of working Iowans. Senate Democrats will continue to oppose Republican-sponsored cuts to the services that Iowans depend on.  These cuts threaten public safety, the quality of education, and the safety net for seniors, children and vulnerable Iowans.
    “These cuts to services could have been avoided if Republican legislators and Governor Reynolds had delivered on their promises to increase family income by 25% and create more than 200,000 new jobs in Iowa.
    “So far, working Iowans have seen nothing but broken promises and horrible cuts to state services from Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans.”
    – end –

  • Gov. Reynolds: Convince Pres. Trump to stop Iowa health care disaster

    June 21, 2017

    (Open letter from Senator Joe Bolkcom to Governor Kim Reynolds)

    Dear Governor Reynolds:

    Today, you will have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with President Trump in Cedar Rapids.

    I support your announced plan to raise the issue of Iowa’s failing individual insurance market.  However, that issue is only one part of Iowa’s health care problems.

    Governor Reynolds, you must be aware that the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress is rushing to send President Trump health care legislation.  This legislation will devastate Iowa families, Iowa health care providers, the State of Iowa’s budget, and the Iowa economy.

    That’s why Iowans are counting on you to convince President Trump to oppose this impending disaster.  Here are some of the reasons why the Republican health care bills are so bad for all Iowans:

    1. Proposed cuts to Medicaid expansion threaten health care for 150,000 Iowans.
    2. More Iowans will be living without health insurance. There will be more uninsured charity care, care that is less effective, more costly, and will increase everyone’s health care costs.
    3. Older Iowans, who make up an increasingly large share of Iowa’s population, will be hit especially hard by these changes.
    4. Cuts, caps or block granting federal Medicaid spending will cost the state of Iowa hundreds of millions of dollars.
    5. Health care providers will be paid less. It will be harder to recruit and keep qualified doctors, nurses and other caregivers, especially in Iowa’s small towns and rural communities.
    6. Health care is a large part of Iowa’s economy. Health care layoffs and wage cuts will hurt all sorts of Iowa businesses and weaken our economy.

    Iowa’s response must be bipartisan. That’s why at tomorrow’s meeting of the Legislative Council, I will propose that we create a special legislative interim committee to examine Iowa’s health care crisis and offer solutions.

    This committee would look at proposed Medicaid cuts, the collapse of the individual market, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and the impact on the state budget.

    Governor Reynolds, please use your influence with President Trump to make sure Iowans can keep their health insurance, to protect rural hospitals and health care providers, and to prevent a devastating blow to Iowa’s economy.

    I hope you will return to Des Moines with some good news.  We need some right now.

     

    Signed,

    Joe Bolkcom

    State Senator

    PDF of letter to Gov Reynolds

     

  • Wednesday: Legislators host discussion about “Medicaid for All” proposal for Iowa

    For Immediate Release: June 20, 2017

     

    Legislators host discussion about “Medicaid for All” proposal for Iowa health insurance mess Wednesday at 6 PM

    (Des Moines)  State Senator  Matt McCoy and State Representative John Forbes invite the public to a public discussion of their “Medicaid for All” solution to Iowa’s health insurance mess.  The goal is to ensure that every Iowan has access to more affordable and reliable health insurance.

    The event will be held at Des Moines Central Library, 1000 Grand Avenue, from 6 PM to 8 PM on Wednesday, June 21.  The event will be livestreamed on Senator McCoy’s Faceboook page, https://www.facebook.com/senatormccoy/.

    The collapse of Iowa’s individual health-insurance market has drawn national attention.  Medica, the last insurer willing to provide individual health insurance policies in Iowa, has announced that a rate increase of an average of 43.5 percent is required for it to continue doing business in Iowa.

    The two legislators seek to allow Iowans on the individual market to purchase health insurance coverage through Medicaid.

    “Given the uncertainty in the individual insurance market, it’s absolutely necessary for Iowa to forge it’s own path to provide access to insurance to all Iowans. It is to critical economic development that self-employed individuals and small businesses have access to more affordable and reliable health insurance. This plan will do that,” said McCoy.

    “The gridlock in Washington, DC makes it imperative for states like Iowa to act independently in providing health insurance coverage. Iowans are practical and self-reliant, and we have the ability to implement this solution,” said Forbes.

    -end-

  • Senators respond to DHS Director Palmer retirement

    Senators Liz Mathis and Amanda Ragan at a Medicaid Oversight Committee Meeting.

    Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City, ranking member of the Health and Human Services Budget Committee:

    “I wish retiring Director Palmer well. He’s done his best under difficult circumstances.

    “However, the real problems of a disastrous budget, less staff, higher caseloads, and lack of oversight need to be addressed.  The rollout, implementation, and proven problems with Medicaid privatization can no longer be overlooked.  We need an open, honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of DHS and what it needs to succeed, including funding and staffing levels.”

     

    Senator Liz Mathis of Robins, ranking member of the Senate Human Services Committee:

    “With Director Palmer’s retirement comes the opportunity to address some of the problematic issues around casework and managed care. I hope Governor Reynolds will consider someone who is willing to work with both sides of the aisle to accomplish more accessibility to critical services like mental health.

    “I have worked with Director Palmer in a number of ways, from strategic planning on children’s mental health to Medicaid and managed care.  He had a difficult job but Director Palmer was professional and accessible to me as a legislator. I wish him well.”

    -end-

  • Three-point plan to end string of Iowa child deaths

    A three-point reform plan to prevent another Iowa child from being injured or killed by abuse has been put forth by two members of the Iowa Senate Government Oversight Committee.

    “The state has failed at-risk children again and again,” said Senator Janet Petersen, a member of Oversight Committee.  “Iowans are demanding change, they are demanding results, and they do not want to see another child die due to the failures of the Branstad/Reynolds Administration.

    Petersen and Senator Matt McCoy, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, released the following three-point plan to prevent another death like that of Sabrina Ray.  The Iowa teen had been adopted out of foster care and was being home-schooled when her body was found last Friday in a Perry home.

    • We call on Chuck Palmer, Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), to either resign or be fired by the Branstad/Reynolds Administration.
    • We call on Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds to replace Director Palmer with a director experienced in, and deeply committed to, the protection of abused and at-risk children.
    • We call on Governor Branstad, Lt. Governor Reynolds and Legislative Republicans to fix the deadly mistakes they made this spring when they cut $24 million from the DHS budget, including $16 million cut to the field service workers who investigate and protect children at risk of abuse.

    Senator McCoy said he is committed to working on a bipartisan solution with Republican legislators.  A Oversight Committee meeting on this issue is planned for Monday, June 5th.

    “I am still extremely disappointed that Republican legislators refused to investigate these issues during the legislative session,” McCoy said. “If they had, I’m certain there would have been strong bipartisan support for increasing our investment in child protective services, rather than the cuts imposed by Republicans.”

    -end-