DES MOINES, Iowa – Members of the House Republican caucus moved quickly to pass work requirements to Iowans receiving healthcare benefits through the Iowa Health and Wellness plan.
Several amendments were filed for the House version, the only one approved merged the bill to the version the Iowa Senate passed on Tuesday. The bill requires 80 hours of work, minimum, every month to continue to receive healthcare benefits. Iowa House Republicans passed the legislation by a vote of 61 to 35.
“Iowans support work requirements for able-bodied adults, which should be a decision made by the state and its elected officials. This bill ensures that the state of Iowa … can continue work requirements for Medicaid expansion, no matter what political party controls the federal administration,” said State Representative Carter Nordman (R), District 47 from Adel.
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House Democrats warned about the trigger language in the bill, stating that if work requirements are ever attempted to be removed, the Iowa Health and Wellness plan would be shut down by the state department of health and human services.
“Look at the private equity groups buying up things like dialysis centers and ramping up prices with collusion,” said State Representative Adam Zabner (D), District 90 from Iowa City.
The independent Legislative Service Agency estimated in the fiscal note that 32,000 people would lose healthcare coverage in the state if the bill is signed into law. There are exemptions for individuals listed in the bill that will waive the work requirements for those on the benefits.
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