• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / Senator says healthcare will be big issue in Legislature

Senator says healthcare will be big issue in Legislature

December 4, 2008 By admin

A leading Senate Democrat says paying for healthcare for Iowa’s most vulnerable citizens as the economy weakens will be one of the biggest challenges facing the Iowa legislature when it convenes in January.

Senator Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City spoke today at a healthcare forum in Des Moines. Bolkcom says paying for healthcare will get tougher as more people lose their jobs and their health insurance.

"As the economy grows more challenged, we find more people who need Medicaid as they lose their employment, and I think we’re going to have to work hard to make that a priority," Bolkcom says. Bolkcom said chances for raising taxes to pay for the extra costs that are slim.

Bolkcom says, "I think they’re pretty remote in a general fund kind of way. I think it’ll be a challenge in these economic times to look at major revenue increases." Bolkcom says it’s also unlikely the state will tap its economic emergency fund to pay for health care, when that fund is likely to be needed for flood recovery.

 Bolkcom also vows to protect a new 25 million dollar three-year appropriation to get more Iowa children covered, but he says raising taxes to do that is unlikely. He says lawmakers will also try to bring the children of undocumented workers into the state’s health care program which he says would not cost the state very much money.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Health / Medicine Tagged With: Democratic Party, Legislature

Featured Stories

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

Man convicted of two Muscatine County murders dies in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Key stretch begins for #9 Iowa

Drake’s Roman Penn lost for the season

Drake’s DeVries named to Naismith watch list

State wrestling opens with limited attendance

Iowa’s Wieskamp is B1G Player of the Week

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC