“It was so dark that I remember thinking that if I wasn’t careful, if I went in the wrong place, I wouldn’t know which way to go back to my car.” Caitlin Hainley, a teacher, described the night she spent 30 minutes walking through a dark, muddy field. She was about to deliver a baby in the middle of the night to her family in rural southern Iowa. Hainley had no access to her electricity and used a headlamp on her head to give birth to her, and she delivered a healthy baby. The next day she returned to check on her family. She said: “The family was very happy that the birth was the way they wanted it to be and the care provided was meaningful, relevant and kind.”
In addition to providing safe, quality care, Ms. Hainley helped patients enroll in Medicaid. She said, “At the prenatal checkups in my office, we talked about Medicaid, printed out information, and checked in with them during the process during subsequent visits.”
Mr. Hainley is one of the many dedicated health care providers that Iowans are fortunate to have. But these health care providers face too many barriers to providing care to Iowans, and the number and scope of these barriers has increased significantly this year.
Last session, we endured a series of state-level actions that resulted in Iowans losing access to health care. Senate File 49Title IV, signed into law earlier this year, is expected to create barriers for Iowans, especially regarding SNAP benefits, but it will also have a major impact on Medicaid recipients.in a certain state Increasing maternal mortality rate, amendments to HF732 provided an opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage to births between 60 days and 12 months of age. This lifesaving coverage was expanded to Missouri and Nebraska, but was struck down by Congress. But this is only part of this complex equation. “Even if we extended Medicaid for 12 months postpartum, women would still be unable to receive care due to obstetric deserts and the fact that there are fewer independent birth centers due to CON (Certificate of Need) and reimbursement.” Low amounts make it difficult to afford to provide obstetric care in the first place.” Low reimbursement rates and a lack of places to practice aren’t the only things that make Iowa unattractive. HF732 will limit access to care, but it will also cause further collateral damage by impacting the pipeline of health care providers who choose to train, practice, and reside in Iowa.
“All of these issues have not only converged to create obstetric care deserts across much of the state, but also, according to an IDPH (now HHS) study, counties where the only delivery facility has closed have less access to prenatal care. It was found that there was a high rate of inadequate prenatal care and severely inadequate prenatal care.”Prenatal care. ”
Most recently, Iowa was one of 30 states called by CMS. letter Outlines problems with the eligibility system that have resulted in thousands of Iowans losing health insurance. Medicaid continuous enrollment termination, also known as Medicaid rollback, has been the focus of state and federal government attention for months since the announcement of the expiration of the public health emergency.
John Rossman CEO, Safenet Rx He said his organization is seeing a lot of patient demand as Medicaid loosens up. “We have a uniform contract to take care of our residents. Whether we donate $5 million in donated medicine or $25 million, we receive the same amount of program revenue. It’s difficult to answer.”
Still, Rothman’s staff complies. The more than 10,000 Iowans who accessed the program last year saved an average of $200 on every 30-day prescription filled with donated medications. Pre-COVID-19, this program was also essential to reducing recidivism rates in Iowa correctional facilities simply by providing needed medications. Charity medication programs like SafeNetRx not only help individuals, they also contribute to local economies and communities. Reduce health system costs It can also reduce inpatient stays in hospitals. “Healthcare safety nets play a critical role in maintaining a healthy workforce. Companies that do not support their employees with adequate health insurance and a living wage are putting significant stress on their safety net systems. My hope is that key decision makers and funders will begin to recognize safety net health services for what they are: an essential economic development resource for maintaining a healthy workforce and communities. That’s the thing.”
As a minister in rural Iowa, he sees firsthand the effects of inadequate health care across the state. “Many rural areas are in decline, and as the foundations of these communities decline; [they] You still have to rely on other things. Economic development, workforce capacity, and health care are all closely related and often not considered together, but they should be considered together. ”
Clarissa is one of the thousands of people who have received services from SafeNetRx. She was confined to her home and socially isolated except for her animals. She is excited that her new staff member will accompany her on her walks, as her daily life has improved thanks to the medication. “I can’t thank you enough. [SafeNetRx] Just being there when you need me is enough. they saved my life. ”
If we continue to limit coverage and access, Iowa must better fund safety net programs that provide health care to the uninsured and underinsured. Dr. Andy McGuire emphasized the need for bipartisan solutions. I think (everyone) wants to do something about it. This is the number one thing that comes to mind for voters everywhere. ” With the announcement of tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy and create difficulties for programs that serve Iowans, this needed funding increase is unlikely to materialize.
Chris Espersen is the Gazette editor. [email protected]
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