Culver signs 'historic' health insurance bill
By Charlotte Eby Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
DES MOINES -- Iowa Gov. Chet Culver signed what he called historic legislation to expand access to health insurance Tuesday, including a $25 million effort over the next three years to insure all Iowa children.
"Because of this investment, it's likely that we will become the first state in the nation to do so," Culver said.
Culver signed two bills at a health care clinic crowded with reporters and representatives of health care advocacy groups.
The health reform measure, House File 2539, will make health care more affordable and accessible to tens of thousands of Iowans, he said. The bill sets a goal of having all adults covered by 2013.
It would allow parents to keep adult children on their family health insurance policies through the age of 25, the age group that is the most likely to have no coverage.
Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City, who helped work on the legislation, called the move to insure all Iowa children a "tremendous step."
"This, I think, will really make a difference," Ragan said.
The bill also removes barriers for Iowans moving from group to individual insurance plans who have pre-existing conditions.
An electronic medical records council created by the legislation would work to streamline how medical records are kept.
The second bill Culver signed, Senate File 2425, a health and human services budget bill, provides additional money for nurses' salaries and for shelter services.
A 1 percent funding increase will go to health care providers that treat Medicaid patients with the money for hospitals intended to increase salaries for nurses.
The bill also requires nutritional standards in schools, a mandate that K-12 students participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each school day.
Charlotte Eby can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.
"Because of this investment, it's likely that we will become the first state in the nation to do so," Culver said.
Culver signed two bills at a health care clinic crowded with reporters and representatives of health care advocacy groups.
The health reform measure, House File 2539, will make health care more affordable and accessible to tens of thousands of Iowans, he said. The bill sets a goal of having all adults covered by 2013.
It would allow parents to keep adult children on their family health insurance policies through the age of 25, the age group that is the most likely to have no coverage.
Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City, who helped work on the legislation, called the move to insure all Iowa children a "tremendous step."
"This, I think, will really make a difference," Ragan said.
The bill also removes barriers for Iowans moving from group to individual insurance plans who have pre-existing conditions.
An electronic medical records council created by the legislation would work to streamline how medical records are kept.
The second bill Culver signed, Senate File 2425, a health and human services budget bill, provides additional money for nurses' salaries and for shelter services.
A 1 percent funding increase will go to health care providers that treat Medicaid patients with the money for hospitals intended to increase salaries for nurses.
The bill also requires nutritional standards in schools, a mandate that K-12 students participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each school day.
Charlotte Eby can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.
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