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Reynolds hopes details of HBAs, cheap alternative to insurance, out soon

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Governor Kim Reynolds.

Governor Kim Reynolds today said she hopes details of the “health benefit” plans the Iowa Farm Bureau and Wellmark will offer Iowans who do not qualify for ObamaCare subsidies will be released sometime next month.

Reynolds indicated that will give Iowans time before the sign-up period starts in November to review traditional insurance versus these alternative plans for 2019 which will be cheaper because they will not meet all Affordable Care Act guidelines.

“We want Iowans to be able to see and have ample time make the decisions and move forward,” Reynolds told reporters, “so I’m just excited that we do have some options and I was proud of the legislature working in a bipartisan manner to get that done.”

In April, Reynolds signed a bill into law that allows the sale of “health benefit arrangements” that have lower premiums because things like pre-existing conditions, mammograms or pregnancies are not covered. Critics say Iowans who fall ill may be surprised when their condition isn’t covered, but Reynolds said these plans are similar to what was available and purchased by thousands of Iowans before the Affordable Care Act took effect.

State treasurer and GOP challenger cite priority projects

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Mike Fitzgerald

A former Ames City Councilman is challenging the longest-serving state treasurer in the country in this year’s General Election.

Michael Fitzgerald is seeking a 10th term. “The treasurer’s job is to keep the money safe, kind of the banker for the State of Iowa and we have kept the money safe,” Fitzgerald says.”…You know, all the times I’ve been treasurer — I’m a Democrat — there’ve been Republican auditors and there’s never a criticism of how we’ve managed the money.”

Fitzgerald says if he’s re-elected, he’ll continue lobbying Iowa legislators to create a state-managed retirement savings plan like the College Savings Iowa program.

“We have a retirement crisis in this state. If you’re in IPERS or have a pension plan, that’s great, but also there’s a lot of folks — about half the people don’t have anything when they’re 55 years of age, (they) have nothing.”

Seven other states have established state-run retirement plans that are not run with state tax dollars, but the investment portfolio is managed by state officials.

Jeremy Davis

The Republican who’s challenging Fitzgerald in 2018 is Jeremy Davis, a former aide to Congressman Steve King who served one term on the Ames City Council.

“The state treasurer is the chief revenue officer of the state,” Davis says, “but when’s the last time he reached out to Iowans and asked: ‘How do you feel your money is being spent? Is it being spent appropriately by the legislature? Is the governor introducing the type of budget that meets the needs of all Iowans?'”

Davis says if he’s elected treasurer, he’ll launch a task force to identify duplication and wasteful spending that should be eliminated at the three state universities.

“We, as the state leadership, need to make the hard discussions and the hard decisions that will ultimately help either stabilize or bring down the cost of higher educaiton in this state,” Davis says.

Davis is floating one idea already: create one financial accounting platform for all three universities.

Davis and Fitzgerald made their comments during speeches on The Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.

Former Sioux City senator ends short retirement and is running once again

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Rick Bertrand

A Sioux City businessman’s retirement from Iowa politics lasted about four months.

Rick Bertrand retired in April after finishing his second term in the Iowa Senate — but was nominated Tuesday evening by Sioux City Republicans to run again for the District 7 Senate seat. Bertrand was nominated by Steve Stokes, the former GOP candidate who dropped out of the race earlier this month for family and business reasons.

Bertrand says he decided to run again after several Republicans, including Governor Reynolds and Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, started asking him to reconsider his retirement. “When you’re asked it’s a good feeling,” Bertrand says, “and the community asked. And when your governor asks and when the party asks, it’s a good place. It’s a good thing for Sioux City. And I think this is a win-win for Sioux City when we win this.”

Bertrand says if he is re-elected, he will continue to be a champion for Sioux City. “That’s probably the thing that excites me the most — not just going back, that you are wanted and the community supports you — but you are going to walk back with a nice bag of capital and that means leverage, and that is power,” according to Bertrand. “And there are some things that we need to get done around here. With Highway 20 getting completed, we are going to have some infrastructure opportunities.”

Bertrand was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2010. He was re-elected in 2014 by a 20 point margin.

Jackie Smith

Former Woodbury County Supervisor Jackie Smith is the Democratic candidate for the senate seat. Smith spoke out about Betrand’s announcement at the Woodbury County Democratic Headquarters before a crowd of supporters She says Bertrand is going back on a promise he made. “His claim to fame is term limits. He had a farewell speech on April 17th — I encourage everyone to look at that — it’s on Youtube. It’s on the Senate Floor. And he actually talks about term limits and that it is time for him to go. I couldn’t agree more,” Smith says.

Smith served on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors for eight years and is making her first run for state office. She disputes Bertrand’s claim that he will bring political capital for Siouxland to the state senate and says by reentering the senate race he is breaking a promise. Smith says she had a 96 percent attendance record on the county board, and says Bertrand missed more votes and meetings than any other state senator the past four years.

“Now wouldn’t we be fired if we didn’t show up for our jobs?,” Smith asks. “I think voters should fire him and keep him home and not in Des Moines.”

She went on to say she supports the right for Iowans to collectively bargain with their employers for wages, benefits and basic working conditions. Smith also says she will work to increase funding for education, mental health and medicaid programs if she is elected.

(By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City)

(This story was updated at 3:15 to add Smith’s response)

 

Health plan for state employees has no changes

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After this year’s increase in health care expenses for thousands of state employees, the State of Iowa’s next health insurance contract does not include an increase in out-of-pocket expenses for state workers.

“It’s pretty much status quo,” Department of Administrative Services director Janet Phipps said.

Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is providing coverage to about 21,000 workers this year. Wellmark was the only company to submit a bid to provide health insurance for state employees in 2019 and 2020.

“The plan design, all of those things remain the same,” Phipps said, “co-pays, co-insurance, value-added programs — all of those.”

This year, about 54,000 state employees and their dependents got health care coverage through the state. In 2016, state employees paid $20 a month for single and family health insurance plans. After collective bargaining changes Republicans made in 2017, that monthly fee was doubled for to $40 for individual in-state health insurance plans and $150 a month for an in-state family plan. A more expensive national option was available as well.

None of the monthly requirements in place now will not change in 2019 under the contract approved Monday by the state’s Executive Council.

State employees who get dental insurance will see what Phipps describes as a “very modest” one-and-a-half percent increase in their 2019 premiums to Delta Dental.

Iowa GOP chair dismisses ‘left-wing nuts,’ says party is proud of President Trump

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Jeff Kaufmann

President Trump is scheduled to visit Iowa this Thursday.

Congressman Rod Blum of Dubuque tweeted about the visit, saying Trump would participate in a round table” discussion in Blum’s hometown of Dubuque. Abby Finkenaur, the Democrat who’s challenging the congressman’s bid for a third term, says Blum “has a responsibility” to make it clear how much Trump’s “Twitter trade war” is damaging farmers’ finances.

Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann downplays the idea Republicans will abandon the president.

“The Republican Party of Iowa stands with President Donald Trump. We’re proud of you, Mr. President,” Kaufmann said Friday. “There! We’ve got that out of the way.”

Kaufmann made his comments to about 400 Republicans gathered in Des Moines for a party fundraiser.

“Do we agree 100 percent of the time? No. No one does. Are we proud of him? Absolutely. Is he better than the left-wing nuts that they’d like to replace him with? Always!” Kaufmann yelled into the microphone, the volume of his voice so loud it drew chuckles from the crowd.

The top Republican in the Iowa legislature also addressed the party activists and donors. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake touted the agenda Republicans in the House, Senate and governor’s office pursued the past two years.

“If you care about lower taxes, gun rights, protecting life, election integrity or responsible budgets, you had a good two years,” Upmeyer said. “…But here’s the thing: we’re only halfway there. The Democrats are running to reverse every single bit of this.”

Upmeyer indicated a GOP legislative priority for 2019 will be passing a resolution so Iowans may vote on a constitutional amendment on gun rights.

“Our constitution is one of the very few in the nation that doesn’t enshrine your right to bear arms today,” Upmeyer said. “…So that’s what I mean — we’re only halfway there.”

Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny said Republicans decided to “think big” rather than make small changes that didn’t “ruffle feathers.”

“We can continue down the path that we’re heading,” Whitver said, “or we can go back to the way of Chet Culver and Democrats in control.”

Whitver told his fellow Republicans 2018 is the “most important election in at least a generation.”

Key GOP senator says Medicaid savings estimate a ‘gray area’

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Sen. Randy Feenstra

A key legislator says there are so many variables, it’s difficult to determine how much the state may be saving under the privatized system for Medicaid.

“It’s an unknown and we’ll probably never know if there were true savings or not,” says Senator Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull who’s chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

On April 1, 2016, private companies began managing care for the 560-thousand Iowans covered by Medicaid at that time. Governor Terry Branstad said the state would save about a quarter of a million dollars a year by ending state-run management of the program. Feenstra says it’s hard to compare what was in place two-and-a-half years ago with how the program’s operating today because of fluctuations in things like the number of Medicaid patients and the type of services and medications covered.

“That is such a gray area of how you look at whether we are saving money on Medicaid through privatization,” Feenstra says. “I think in the next few years we’ll have a better picture and I feel bad for (Department of Human Services director Jerry) Foxhoven trying to figure out and whether we are saving money or not.”

Legislators are “the first to hear” from patients who are being denied critical care, according to Feenstra.

“We’ve got to continue to keep our ear to the ground and make sure we hold those private companies accountable for good service,” Feenstra says. “Some of these are the most in-need people in our state who are getting these Medicaid services and we need to make sure they’re getting taken care of.”

Feenstra says small rural hospitals and clinics are complaining about late Medicaid payments. The new head of the state’s Medicaid program recently reported the state was saving nearly $141 million because the program had been privatized, but has not provided legislators with specific details about how those savings were achieved.

(Reporting by Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton; additional reporting by Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson)

Reynolds says Senate Democrats must act on Boulton

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Nate Boulton

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds today said Democrats have “an obligation to act” now that a state senator accused of sexual misconduct has refused to resign.

Nate Boulton, a Democrat from Des Moines, dropped out of the race for governor shortly after The Des Moines Register published accusations from three women who say Boulton groped them. Earlier this week, Boulton announced he will not resign from the state senate despite calls from several of his Democratic colleagues to do so.

Governor Reynolds said it’s now up to Boulton’s fellow Democrats to address the situation.

“They were pretty adamant in what they thought should take place when they were talking about other issues of sexual harassment,” Reynolds told reporters late this morning after an event in Winterset

Democrats criticized how Republicans handled the sexual harassment complaint of a Senate GOP employee who eventually won a sizable settlement from the state.

“I think they have an obligation to act,” Reynolds said of Senate Democrats.

Brenna Smith, a spokesperson for Reynolds, said the governor believes “it’s up to Senate Democrats what they want to do about it — whether they want to start an investigation, take away his committee assignments or take any other action.”

The bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee can recommend expulsion from the senate, but the senate’s code of conduct covers a lawmaker’s actions while in office. Boulton’s alleged transgressions happened before he was a senator.

If the Ethics Committee received a complaint about Boulton’s conduct since January of 2017, found it credible, launched an investigation and then called for Boulton to be removed from office, the full senate would have to vote on the matter. Under that scenario, a senate vote would have to take place in a special session later this year or after the 2019 legislative session starts in January.

(This posted was updated after the governor’s spokeswoman issued a clarification at 8:41 p.m.)

Boulton announces he plans to stay in state senate

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Nate Bolton (file photo)

Fifty-three days after exiting the race for governor amid allegations of sexual harassment, Democrat Nate Boulton has announced he intends to remain in the state senate.

In late May, The Des Moines Register published the accounts of three women who said Boulton had groped or rubbed them inappropriately. Boulton dropped out of the gubernatorial race the next day.

Late Monday afternoon, Boulton issued a written statement on Twitter. He admitted to binge drinking, suggested it was a contributing factor to those incidents  and Boulton said he hasn’t had “a single drink” since November.

Boulton said he “cannot apologize enough for the heartache” his past actions caused, but Boulton concluded his written statement by saying he plans to return to the statehouse in January when the senate reconvenes.

Seven weeks ago, Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen had called on Boulton to resign. Petersen, in a written statement issued early Wednesday evening, said Boulton’s decision to stay “is disappointing.” Petersen said Boulton will have to answer to voters in his senate district and “to a possible independent investigation.”

Republicans control the committee structure in the Iowa Senate, so GOP senators would have to launch an investigation.

Boulton was first elected to the state senate in 2016. He has about two and a half years left in his four-year term.

Planned Parenthood endorses Fred Hubbell for governor

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Fred Hubbell

The Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa political action committee has formally endorsed Fred Hubbell, the Democratic candidate for governor.

“Since the 2016 elections, the Iowa legislature and Governor Reynolds have been on a rampage against out health, against reproductive rights and against our freedoms,” Erin Davison-Rippey, state executive director of the PAC, said during a midday news conference. “Here in Iowa and across the nation, 2016 was a wake-up call for many of us that elections matter and elections have consequences.”

Former Planned Parenthood of the Heartland president Jill June first met Hubbell 33 years ago when he served on the organization’s board of directors in the 1980s.

“Our backs are against the wall here in Iowa,” June said during the event. “We have lost on so many fronts, it’s hard to describe them all. Women’s reproductive rights have been trampled.”

Hubbell has pledged to restore state funding to Planned Parenthood. He said the organization provides “vital services” to Iowans “not just for women but also for men and people in the LGBT community all across our state, from education to STD testing, cancer screenings, family planning services — Planned Parenthood does all those things, often in underserved communities and making it available to people who can’t afford to pay.”

Hubbell told reporters the biggest problem Iowa faces is lack of affordable, accessible health care, including mental health services and drug treatment as well as reproductive health care.

Pat Garrett, a campaign spokesman for Reynolds, said the governor is “100% pro-life and believes we should do everything we can to protect the unborn.”

July 1st all convicted drunk drivers in Iowa must use ignition interlocks

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A new state law that takes effect this Sunday will force anyone with a drunk driving conviction to install an “ignition interlock” on their vehicle if they want to legally drive during their probationary period.

The devices test a driver’s breath and prevent the vehicle from starting if the driver has been drinking, but until now only repeat drunk drivers and first time offenders with a high blood alcohol level have been forced to use them in Iowa. Brad Fralick is a spokesman for Intoxalock, a Des Moines-based company that makes and installs the devices.

“Currently there’s about 5400 of these devices in use in Iowa,” he says. “We expect that with this law that number will jump to between 8000 and 9000 devices in use in the state.”

It costs about $80 to install the device, another $70 a month to rent it and then about $40 dollars to have it removed when the probationary period is over. Those fees are all paid by the convicted drunk driver.

“When they install it, it goes in the ignition module, so it’s going to be up under the dash,” he says. “It’s going to have a cord attached to it. It’s a relatively short cord…enough to allow you to take the test, but not so long that it would be easy for someone else to try to blow for you.”

After the engine starts, the devices periodically require another breath test to make sure the driver is sober and that no one else blew into the device to start the engine. Several states also require cameras which provide visual confirmation the driver is testing his or her own breath.

“We think that Iowa is going to go to camera devices,” Fralick says, “probably through the administrative rule process, so I would expect those to be in use in Iowa relatively soon.”

Iowa is now one of 30 states which require everyone convicted of drunk driving to install these devices.

“Unfortunately, with ignition interlocks, it’s a numbers game,” Fralick says. “The more of these you get into the vehicles, you see a corresponding impact on fatalities, crashes and arrests.”

A study published last year in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine indicated there had been a seven percent decrease in fatal drunk driving crashes in states where everyone convicted of drunk driving must test their breath before their vehicle will start. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the devices reduce repeat arrests for drunk driving by about 70 percent while they are installed.

Another alcohol-related state law goes into effect today. It reduces liability for bars and restaurants accused of over-serving alcohol to someone involved in a drunk driving accident.