Articles Tagged: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

During a public comment meeting Wednesday, Iowans voiced their frustration and concern over a proposal by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to require most able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work at least 100 hours per month.

Eastern Iowa nonprofits are preparing for change as the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services works to finalize details of its new behavioral health districts, which will go into effect on July 1.

Many of the roughly 181,000 Iowans in the state’s version of Medicaid expansion would be subject to work requirements, and the entire program could be eliminated if the federal government ever disallows work requirements, under legislation approved this week by Republican state lawmakers.

Some Iowans receiving state-funded Medicaid coverage and food assistance would be required to work at least 80 hours a month to receive benefits under legislation critics say would put thousands of vulnerable Iowans at risk.

Catherine Johnson, executive director of Disability Rights Iowa, says requirements in the settlement agreement will lead to a state children’s mental health care system that ‘addresses the needs of children’

The settlement agreement resolves a 2023 lawsuit that accused the State of Iowa of failing to provide federally required mental and behavioral health care services for Medicaid-eligible children

Just 28.3 percent of Iowans had received the flu vaccine as of Dec. 20, which would be the lowest rate in at least 7 years

Also, state says school for troubled boys reaches ‘substantial compliance’ with oversight

Gov. Kim Reynolds in May signed into law a plan to overhaul and combine Iowa’s delivery system for mental and behavioral health services — which advocates hope will improve access for patients.

The USDA said Iowa failed to provide “compelling evidence of the potential benefits of an untested alternative model.” Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa will reapply for a waiver under the new Trump administration.

Iowa had requested a waiver from the federal ag department to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to purchase lab-grown meat or egg substitute products; USDA denied the request

A coding error resulted in the misallocation of more than $27.5 million in court fees over 4 budget years, according to the Iowa Judicial Branch

More than 50 privately owned Iowa nursing homes have agreed to reimburse taxpayers for $13.9 million in unpaid fees owed to the state.

Also in Capitol Notebook: Iowa AG names prosecutor to statewide cold case unit

Iowa has yet to implement large portions of a 2023 law that established new requirements and regular checks for Iowans receiving public assistance benefits to determine their eligibility.