Julie Beckett fought to care for her daughter at home in the 1980s, bringing about a fundamental change to the federal Medicaid program that ultimately improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of children with complex disabilities nationwide. She died in Cedar Rapids on Friday at the age of 72.
The state’s share of the health and human services budget would be $53.6 million more than current spending, a 2.6 percent increase, according to Legislative Services Agency. It’s also $39.5 million more than Gov. Kim Reynolds recommended.
Proponents say bills changing the staffing ratios and allowing younger workers to operate with less supervision would allow flexibility in child care facilities, but opponents say the changes could make those settings less safe for children.
Attempts in previous years to add requirements for Iowans who receive public benefits like Medicaid and food assistance failed to pass both chambers in the Iowa Legislature. A renewed effort is under way this year, with a new approach: Instead of pushing for just one or two big bills addressing public assistance programs, statehouse Republicans have broken the myriad proposals into a slew of bills running separately.
Kim Reynolds signaled a return to normalcy Tuesday by pardoning two turkeys while cautioning Iowans to remain vigilant against COVID-19 when they gather for Thanksgiving celebrations.
A judge said state and federal courts have found that gender identity discrimination is a form of sex discrimination, which is prohibited under civil rights laws and the equal protection clause of the state constitution.
A look back at what’s been in the news in Iowa in the past week
Auditor Rob Sand says the report released Wednesday shows Iowa’s managed care organizations were illegally denying care for Iowans and that the state needs to provide more oversight.
CareSource, a health insurance company based in Ohio, announced Wednesday they plan to submit a bid to join Iowa’s Medicaid program as a managed care organization. The program current administers health benefits to more than 750,000 poor and disabled Iowans.
The influx of more than 115,000 new Medicaid enrollees gradually built as Iowans lost their jobs – and their employer-based health insurance – as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
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