Iowa Law Broadens Health Care Coverage for DCWs

On May 13, Iowa Governor Chet Culver (pictured) signed HF 2539, a new law that will have a dramatic and lasting impact on the direct-care workforce. The bill, whose intent is to “progress toward achievement of the goal that all Iowans have health care coverage,” includes several clauses specific to direct-care workers.

This dramatic success flows from years of work on the part of Di Findley, the founder and executive director of the Iowa CareGivers Association, as well as extensive advocacy efforts by direct-care workers and their supporters. Lots of seeds have been planted over the years. This year, we had the opportunity to see them grow and bear fruit.

Being part of the Health Care for Health Care Workers campaign was also of great importance to the legislative effort. The activities of HCHCW – the research that’s been done, the publications that have been prepared, the ideas that we gained, and the help that was provided — were critical to our work.

Another factor in these legislative successes was the creation of the Iowa Healthcare for All Coalition (pdf), a coalition of 24 organizations that worked collaboratively to get the legislation crafted, debated, and passed. The member groups represent a myriad of interests, including direct-care workers, organized labor, AARP, and organizations representing kids, community action entities, the faith community, farmers, social workers, nurses, public health, and working families. 

The coalition allowed the voices of direct care workers to be echoed and strengthened by voices representing a host of other interests and perspectives. It was this collective voice that gave the interests of direct-care workers a greater presence and greater power at the Iowa Capitol. This was truly a team effort.

Key facts about HF 2539:

• Its initial priority is to cover all children eligible for Medicaid or an expanded Children’s Health Insurance program;
• It commits to creating comprehensive and affordable health care plans for uninsured adults, to be available for purchase by January 1, 2010;
• It requires the Department of Public Health to expand efforts to insure that a well-qualified and stable health and long term care workforce exists (initial report and  plan due by January 1, 2010);
• It creates a Direct Care Worker Advisory Council (that includes direct care  workers) to continue work on education and certification issues  (recommendations due by November 30, 2008);
• It establishes a Direct Care Worker Compensation Committee to develop recommendations to increase direct care worker wages and other forms of  compensation (recommendations due by December 12, 2008);
• It instructs the Department of Human Services to create and publish an ongoing report that measures direct care worker turnover in nursing facilities (first report due by December 1, 2008); and
• It directs the Department of Human Services to design a premium assistance demonstration project to provide health care coverage for up to 250 direct care  workers and their dependents (design due by December 15, 2008.)

Timeline of ICA and HCHCW activity to win health care reform

• Materials used in the campaign
  • Iowa Fact Sheet (pdf)
  • Touched By A Caregiver Day Materials (pdf)

John Hale
Policy Director
Iowa Caregivers Association (Iowa’s Health Care for Health Care Workers partner)
hale_johnd@msn.com