Session Continues, Likely to End This Week | |
The Iowa Legislature did not finish its work on Friday. Legislators only get reimbursed for 110 days of expenses. Friday was their 110th day. Beginning today, legislators are working without their clerks and will have to pay for their own meals, gas, and hotels.
If everything goes according to plan, the Legislature should be done this week. The House and Senate are very close to having agreements on all budgets. There is already agreement on the largest budget – the $2.1 billion health and human services budget.
BUDGET UPDATE
Legislators have agreement on five budgets and are moving them quickly through the process. They are still working on an agreement for the remaining six bills. Only two budgets have not yet been drafted. You can see where the budgets are in the process below:
| |
SF 557: Administration & Regulation | Libraries, Civil Rights Commission, Secretary of State, State Treasurer | House Floor, House debating Monday | SF 558: Agriculture & Natural Resources | Farmers with disabilities program, parks, trails, water quality | House Floor, House debating Monday | SF 559 & HSB 249: Economic Development | Vocational Rehabilitation Services, arts and cultural programs, workforce development | Senate Floor, House Committee voting on HSB Monday | SF 560: Education | School for the Deaf, Department for the Blind, school-based mental health, AEAs, health professional loan repayment programs | Senate Floor (no agreement yet on the bill) | SF 561 & HSB 248: Health & Human Services | Aging services, Medicaid, public health, human rights, veterans, MH/DS regions | House Floor, House debating Monday | SF 562 & HSB 251: Justice Systems | Consumer Advocate, state patrol, prisons, firefighters, Attorney General | Senate Floor, House Committee voting on HSB Monday | SF 563 & HSB 250: Judicial Branch | Courts, judges | Senate Floor, House Committee voting on HSB Monday | SF 576: Transportation | Roads, rest areas (not public transit, that's in the infrastructure budget) | House Floor, House debating Monday | HF 709: Federal Block Grants | Gives federal block grant funds to the appropriate agencies, including community development block grant, mental health block grant, community action agencies | House Floor with a Senate amendment, House debating Monday | Infrastructure (RIIF)* | Spends money from casinos and gambling on buildings, information technology | Not drafted | Standing Appropriations | Standing appropriations are automatic, so this budget either adjusts them or adds things that were included in the final agreement | Not drafted | | |
*RIIF stands for the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund | |
You can read details about each of these bills in our Bill Tracker. It includes a link to the non-partisan legislative services staff review of the bills. Here are a few highlights from the budgets:
-
$5.5 million to keep rates for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) at current levels. Last year, legislators used federal money to increase rates, so they had to use state dollars to sustain the rates.
-
$13 million to increase rates for mental health and substance use treatment ($10 million for mental health, $3 million for substance use disorder treatment).
-
$500,000 to take people off waiting lists for public guardian services. There are a lot of people who need a public guardian and there are not enough staff to handle the requests right now.
-
$15 million to increase nursing home rates. Nursing homes are also being asked to take sex offenders who are in need of long term care This could be used to help increase security and allow them to develop this line of service.
-
Puts money from the sale of Glenwood into a special fund to improve other HHS institutions. Legislators want to make sure other institutions like Woodward State Resource Center are in compliance with the ADA and address all of the problems the US Department of Justice found with Glenwood.
-
Allows Medicaid to increase dental rates if it doesn’t cost more money. Medicaid has a dental work group that has several ideas on how to increase rates for preventive services, but it may mean reductions in coverage in higher-cost services.
-
Allows the Health Policy Oversight Committee to meet annually (or not at all). Right now, this legislative committee is required to meet twice a year. They’ve been doing it by calling the morning session one “meeting” and the afternoon session the second “meeting.” The committee hears reports from MCOs and HHS during the summer. It’s a great time for them to ask questions and keep on top of what is going on in the Medicaid space. It’s also a great opportunity for advocates and lobbyists to hear how things are going.
-
Clarify that household asset test only applies to SNAP, not Medicaid. This has been a big concern to advocates. SNAP asset tests will impact Iowans with disabilities. There is a lot of concern about people with disabilities losing Medicaid services (because asset tests apply to the individual – not the entire household).
-
Establishes a Public Assistance Modernization Fund using $8 million from a lawsuit the state won against former MCO Iowa Total Care. This fund would allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a single portal that will help people find out what they are eligible for and allow them to apply for those programs through that portal. It also will implement the new verification system and asset tests for SNAP.
-
Directs cities and counties to regulate HCBS waiver homes as residences, not large facilities. Right now, these homes are required to install very expensive sprinkler systems that you might see in a business or hospital, not a home or apartment. Homes would still be required to have smoke detectors and other safety features, appropriate for the size of the home. With rising costs of housing, this will help keep the cost of community living down.
-
$50,000 increase Farmers with Disabilities Program. Easter Seals runs this program to help provide support to farmers with disabilities.
-
$150,000 increase for Vocational Rehabilitation. This budget is not yet agreed-to. The House has included this increase in its budget. Unfortunately, we do not see an increase in funding for post-secondary transitional scholarships for college-aged students with disabilities. You can still take action on this. Of note, every $1 in state money spent on vocational rehabilitation draws down $3.70 in federal funds, so it’s a good investment!
The one thing legislators must do every year is pass a budget. This budget is for fiscal year 2024 (FY 2024). Unlike a calendar year that runs January to December, the state fiscal year begins July 1 and ends on June 30. FY 2024 funds state programs, services, and agencies from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.
Legislators are still talking about property tax cuts. We are not sure they can agree on how to do it in the final days of session. The House and Senate have very different approaches. Both plans are trying to help Iowans better understand their property tax bills and their rights. They also want to find a way to make property taxes more predictable.
| |
ALERT: Medicaid Premium Payments
During the national public health emergency (PHE), Iowa Medicaid stopped co-payments and premiums for all members. The PHE is scheduled to end May 11, 2023.
Iowa Medicaid will complete eligibility redeterminations for most members soon. To make sure accurate premiums and co-payments are billed to members, premiums will remain suspended until June 2024 for all members that have coverage under the children's health insurance program (HAWK-I), Iowa Health & Wellness Plan (IHAWP), and Medicaid for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MEPD). Iowa Medicaid is asking that members do not submit payments for premiums at this time.
Additionally, co-payments will remain suspended for all Medicaid and HAWK-I members until June 2024. Additional information about premiums and co-payments will be issued in 2024.
If you have questions, please contact Iowa Medicaid Provider Services
or the appropriate MCO:
Iowa Medicaid Provider Services for FFS members:
Provider services: 1-800-338-7909
Provider email: imeproviderservices@dhs.state.ia.us
Amerigroup Iowa, Inc.:
Provider services: 1-800-454-3730
Provider email: iowamedicaid@amerigroup.com
Website: https://providers.amerigroup.com/ia
Iowa Total Care:
Provider services: 1-833-404-1061
Provider email: Providers may send email using their account on the ITC website.
Website: https://www.iowatotalcare.com
| |
Watch April Capitol Chat
This month's Capitol Chat went through the budgets, the bills still in the works, and more. We also reminded people it's time to start thinking about 2024, because summer is the best time to advocate!
|
Grab your lunch and join us for our May Capitol Chat. We switched to a Thursday after session (hopefully) adjourns but before the long holiday weekend.
Thursday, May 17 | Noon-1 pm
| | |
Advocacy Grants Available
One way that you can get issues in front of your local legislators is to gather in your community for discussion.
Town hall meetings are a great way to bring people together, talk about what’s important, and get feedback on what’s working and what could be better.
The Iowa DD Council offers grants to local advocacy groups to organize town hall meetings to discuss issues of importance that are disability-related. This can include financial and technical support—this can allow you to take action right in your community!
For more information: contactus@iowaddcouncil.org iowaddcouncil.org
| | |
Do you want to make communities more inclusive for people with disabilities? Do you value self-determination?
Apply to be member of the Iowa DD Council here.
| | |
|
Iowa legislators still take time out of their weekends home to go to public forums or town halls. It's their time to meet the people they represent, share what they are doing at the State Capitol, and hear what people think that work.
You can find these on our calendar, and you can download the list for the next two weeks here.
| | | |
infoNET is the disability policy project of the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council and its network of Iowans with Disabilities in Action. | |
Stay connected with us: | |
This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $774,176 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government. | | | | |