Meeting Public Comments

Michelle Soyer

There are so many Iowans with disabilities who want and deserve an equal opportunity to earn a sustainable income and support our economy. There needs to be a bill that prevents discriminating them from doing so. There are so many people I know with disabilities who want to work hard and achieve their highest potential, to be a involved contributing citizen. Life is already very difficult and limiting for people living with disabilities. We need to do what we can to NOT make it even more difficult and limiting.

Tracy Miksell

People with disabilities want to work and be productive. Dont make it harder for them.

Jenna Batten

Medicaid is one of very few if not the only form of insurance that pays for longterm home and community based services (HCBS). This means anyone with a disability severe enough to require assistance in the home or community must choose between living in poverty to remain eligible for Medicaid, or to have a career in which they can accept advancement and/or raises. Where is the incentive in working fulltime if you risk losing coverage for the home care services you require to get out of bed and ready for work? Without Medicaid, a quadriplegic like myself would pay out of pocket cost upwards of $30,000 per year! I love my job and want to keep working. But I would have to quit my job or take a pay cut if I lose my eligibility for Medicaid.

Marilyn Lambert [Parent]

My daughter has disabilities and lives in a waiver home. She receives services, is on SSDI,SSI, medicaid and medicare. She is not physically disabled but is mentally disabled. She does her best when her mind is kept busy. She would not be able to work a 40 hour week. But with the restrictions on income limits She can not work more than 2 to 2 1/2 hours per day. That leaves a lot of hours to fill. She has things she wants to save money for. There is no extra money. She can not move forward without losing benefits. She might be successful or she might not, if she were to try some type of work that would pay more or work more hours. With these income limits, she can't even try. If she did and failed, her benefits would be gone. She would have to either make enough money to be totally independent or stay within the income guidelines. There is no moving forward for her.

Allissa Buelow

Many Iowans with disabilities seek and deserve the opportunity to earn a sustainable income and contribute to our economy. There should be legislation in place that make it feasible for people who wish to work, to work.

Danielle Leonard

I am so happy to learn about this bill. My 25 year old son just started working full time at Target. I was asking his caseworker and others what I could do regarding the $2000 Medicaid maximum because Target has a 401 k match program. I was also trying to get SSI for him. I want my son to fully work and invest in himself. She suggested we cut back his hours so he didnt make as much money. I cant believe this was a suggestion in order to get the benefits he deserves as an autistic adult. He is only making $15.50 an hour which I am happy for but which also is hardly enough to support oneself independently. I would think the state would want individuals to work as much as they can not ask them to be lazy to receive assistance. Its a backwards system for sure

Donna Augustin

As a parent of an adult child who is in the Medicaid program, I encourage the passing of this bill. With the limited amount of resources an individual with disabilities can have per month is limiting this population from growing their finances and futures. This has been a worry as his payee to keep him striving for more work hours but yet to keep him in the guidelines. It truly is backwards. We have been told many times over the years to cut his hours so he doesn't lose his benefits. Why would we want to encourage limiting them more than what they are already challenged with. Work is good for all people and this bill would encourage more for these special people.

Pamela McDonald

I support HSB 241 to establish the work without worry program.Work is the right of every human being, and contributes to our economy and our collective health.

Catherine Johnson [Disability Rights Iowa]

see attached

Evan Schultz

As a person with quadriplegia, I rely on Medicaid to cover cost of inhome health services to get out of bed and get to work.Having to take pay cut or reduce hours instead of being motivated to work and contribute as much as possible seems antithetical to progress and success.There are so many individuals in this predicament. Individuals want to work, home health and employment services want to help. WinWin. Please support HSB 241. Thanks so much.

Rachel Bussan [Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council - Commenting as an individual]

As a person with disabilities, Work Without Worry gives us the opportunity to work without losing the Medicaid benefits we need to survive and live as independently as possible. Many of us wish to work but cannot due to the current income limits on Medicaid. Medicaid covers many necessary services that private insurers will not, such as home based care. I currently use private insurance, but would qualify for Medicaid if my income changed. It would give so many people peace of mind and the choice to seek employment.

Chad Webb [Kids without Fathers are more Vulnerable]

I am a full time, sole legal caregiver to my 2 kids. 16 year old daughter and 8 year old son with dissabilities. He is also a victim of abuse before he was in my care. I have addressed the safety issues to the judiciary, I would hope that they would read it and take note. These kids need some attention and recognition within the Iowa civil and criminal code. These kids are the most vulnerable on the whole planet. Not black, not mexican, not poor, but dissabled. Autism touches all walks of life, rich, poor, and every color possible. Many of them cant even report there abuse. I was a plumber by trade and went through 6 years of trade school and was on my way to starting my own buisness. Then my son came to live with me in 2019 after abuse, and 2020 is when covid hit and have not been able to work since then because (of the buisness's "daycares" and the public schoools discriminate). This is important because all evidence and studys that have been done on the rehabilitation for kids with neurological issues(Autism, ADHD, ID, LD, ect..) has shown that kids have the best chance of even being able to work when they become adults need heavy intervention at least up to the age of 10, this is only considered in my statement as to be fair as to the taxpayer's commitment to taxe's and welfare which is absolutely needed, If Iowa cares about these kids that is. Iowa right now does not even have a focus on this. If kids are not able to communicate or understand or (build frienships and connections) while they are kids, they will not be able to join the workforce, and there mental health will be so depleated they will not care, and people will still treat them worse then there dogs, because its happening. Parents are stuck home while trying to help there kids and its(help) not getting done. In my case I went to college, in order to get a degree(computer science) in order to hopefully be able to have a more flexible work schedule or work from home if needed. That was and is the fix for parents in situations like mine. There are many parents in this same boat. That still doesnt guarentee me work. The daycares dont even understand ADA or 504 law. Or they do, but know that Iowa isnt going to enforce the law and it hasnt, evidence of that given the ICRC is now effectively dissolved. A few suggestions that help kids have a better chance, at life and work, which is every parents wish and reason they keep pushing. 1. Focus on helping the parents who have been left out of society and this conversation, while they study law, the most complex and in my opinion unecessary law. * Focus on helping these kids integrate. DAYCARE is not only essential to these kids psychological developement, its essetial for there mental health and learning. Kids learn from other smarter kids, if they are NICE. Well how do we force kids to be nice? * K12 education on what dissabilities are, which would teach kids that these kids are not what there parents are telling them. They are actually smart and there, meaning they understand what is happening to them or around them, they just have problems expressing themselves or saying what they want or need. This could be helped by education. Kids also need to know the price of not caring about these kids. Because there is one, whether its economical or spiritual, there will be a cost by ignoring this. How this also helps the job market? When peers and other familys get more exposure to these kids and there familys they will then understand, how awesome and how much these kids can actually create better loving communities. This will create more interested people to join the workforce in this area. This has to happen, to ignore is to compromise your own morals and beliefs. * Have the schools open before and after school daycares. This is best for kids with dissabilities and will eliminate the issues with daycares. Sure it might take some buisness away from some buisness's but that is the price you pay for being hatefull and hurtfull towards these kids. * Bring service providers into the schools. As two seperate entitys but share the buildings. ABA is 100% affective for many of these kids but access is limited. Many of the buisness's phase out kids at age 6 for various reasons, but this is what these kids need. All services need to be integrated into the same school for true multi disaplinary teams. This will be big deal, when it happens. * To much money is getting spent on services that arent available or by themselves are ineffective. This is not my words it is the words and publically available documents by proffesionals(Doctors, scientists, God). Not SPL's or teachers or daycare providers. Just look at the results, all kids get diplomas, regardless of if they can function at the leval necessary. This reasoning creates a workforce that will not invest into there careers the actual time and effert to truly help.In conclusion, allthough maybe this bill is well intended, it seems that we have i dire situation that is occurring far before these people get to the workforce. Can we please quit letting society and buisness's and lawyers use these kids to exploit them. Please. .

Tom Chapman [Iowa Catholic Conference]

The Iowa Catholic Conference is registered in support of HSB 241, "work without worry." Meaningful employment opens doors to social connection, economic advancement, and personal autonomy. We appreciate this effort to remove barriers to employment for people in the MEPD program and expand Iowas labor pool as well.

Mpembe Edmundson

Please recognize that people with disabilities want to be able to earn a living without risking their health, let alone their lives, when they can't afford to pay the ridiculous costs of medical care. People with disabilities should be able to have gainful employment and not risk losing every other part of their lives. There are no grocery prices decreasing, there are no rental prices decreasing, there are no gas prices decreasing. Nothing is getting more affordable. Stop punishing people for having disabilities and wanting to successfully live their lives. Let them Work without Worry!