I was pleasantly surprised this week at the number of visitors who came to the Capitol.  We’ve had terrible, and unexpected, snow conditions all over the state.  Nevertheless, thousands of visitors from various groups and organizations came to lobby their legislators. On Tuesday and Wednesday, many Iowans came to push the Governor to expand health care to 150,000 Iowans who don’t have private health insurance.  Members of AARP and doctors from across the state spent the day talking to lawmakers about the health and financial benefits of expanding Medicaid.

Unfortunately, Governor Branstad is still opposed to an expansion of affordable health care after meeting with federal officials.  Instead, the Governor wants to continue another program, called Iowa Care.  It really isn’t a good solution because 8,900 Iowans who now have health care would lose it.  90,000 Iowans still wouldn’t have health care, and it would cost Iowa well over $200 million in the next three years alone.  Fortunately, the Iowa Senate is moving a bill to expand Medicaid.  But unless the Governor gets behind Medicaid expansion, many Iowans stand to lose.

This week, the budget process took a few steps forward.   Leaders from both parties set spending limits, also referred to as “targets”, for each of the seven budget subcommittees that craft the different parts of the state budget.  These subcommittees include Administration & Regulation, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Economic Development, Education, Health & Human Services, Justice System, and Transportation.  Each of these subcommittees will now build their specific budget and send it to the full Appropriations Committee of the House or Senate before it goes to the floor.