Articles Tagged: Iowa Medicaid

Also in the Capitol Notebook: Iowa Senate Republicans approve work requirements for Medicaid recipients

Under a proposal advanced by Iowa Senate Republicans, Iowa Medicaid would no longer cover surgical, hormonal and other procedures related to treating Iowans with gender dysphoria. Critics warn the move could endanger the health and lives of Iowans.

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.

Also, a bill mandating the creation of a Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa heads to the governor.

As politicians demand that more Medicaid recipients work, many people with disabilities say their state programs’ income and asset caps force them to limit their work hours or turn down promotions.

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.

Collection agents for the state of Iowa have sent letters seeking millions of dollars from the estates of at least two people with disabilities who died after spending most of their lives in a state institution.

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

The governor, in her annual Condition of the State Address, also proposes $1 million to start new cancer research effort.

The start of a new year also means the start of new laws in Iowa, including a new and lower state income tax rate, new restrictions for those convicted of drunken driving and a new data privacy law.

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

Cedar Rapids resident Garret Frey has been fighting for disability rights since 1999 when, as a high-schooler, he won a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court after his school district refused to pay for the care he needed to continue attending classes.

OptumRx of Minnesota is asking a judge to declare that information the company provided the state in response to a solicitation for bids by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is a trade secret and should be kept confidential.

In order to access disability services through Medicaid, Iowans have to be approved for a disability waiver. Some waivers have a waitlist of five years, which means families must wait to access things like respite care, wheelchairs, occupational therapy and other services.