House Resolution 138 - Introduced
PAG LIN
H.R. ________ S.R. ________
1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY WHITEAD, FOEGE, SMITH, and GRANZOW
1 3 A Resolution urging implementation of disability=friendly
1 4 principles for Iowa's health care coverage system.
1 5 WHEREAS, a higher proportion of working adult
1 6 Iowans with disabilities do not have health care
1 7 coverage as compared with the general population of
1 8 Iowans; and
1 9 WHEREAS, the lack of portability in health
1 10 insurance benefits often results in persons with
1 11 disabilities either being forced to remain in jobs to
1 12 retain health care coverage or to deliberately become
1 13 impoverished to become eligible for publicly funded
1 14 health care coverage; and
1 15 WHEREAS, as the average age of Iowans continues to
1 16 rise and health care coverage requirements become more
1 17 restrictive, many more Iowans are likely to either
1 18 become afflicted with a disability or otherwise
1 19 experience health care coverage problems now
1 20 experienced by persons with disabilities; and
1 21 WHEREAS, as the needs and challenges relating to
1 22 health care coverage have become increasingly
1 23 difficult to address, it is essential to adopt a set
1 24 of principles for the governor, the general assembly,
1 25 other policymakers, and businesses to apply in
1 26 addressing health care coverage needs of persons with
1 27 disabilities and other Iowans; NOW THEREFORE,
1 28 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
1 29 That the governor, the general assembly, other
1 30 policymakers, and businesses are urged to apply all of
2 1 the following principles in addressing the health care
2 2 coverage needs of persons with disabilities and other
2 3 Iowans:
2 4 1. An individual is able to maintain stable health
2 5 care coverage despite changes in employment or
2 6 accumulation of personal assets so that working adults
2 7 with or without disabilities are not dropped from
2 8 coverage due to the extent of a disability or the
2 9 amount of service usage;
2 10 2. Health care coverage is available to
2 11 individuals at an affordable cost by using various
2 12 cost=control strategies which may include pooling to
2 13 share risks and costs over very large groups of
2 14 individuals and the pools include both those who are
2 15 generally healthy and those who have disabilities;
2 16 3. An individual's contributions for the cost of
2 17 health care coverage are based upon both the
2 18 individual's ability to pay and the extent of the
2 19 applicable employer or public contribution to the
2 20 cost;
2 21 4. Health care coverage is made both physically
2 22 and cognitively accessible for all Iowans and the use
2 23 of limitation measures such as exclusions of
2 24 preexisting conditions is curtailed;
2 25 5. The range of available health care coverage is
2 26 made broad enough to cover an appropriate range of
2 27 benefits, including but not limited to medications,
2 28 mental health treatment, preventive services, personal
2 29 health items, and special equipment. Coordination of
2 30 care and benefits among multiple providers is used so
3 1 that the needs of persons with disabilities are not
3 2 met through a system of second=class care;
3 3 6. The eligibility determination requirements used
3 4 for publicly supported health care available to
3 5 persons with disabilities is separated from the
3 6 requirements for other publicly supported benefits
3 7 available to such persons so that persons with
3 8 disabilities are not forced to become impoverished or
3 9 remain in poverty in order to secure health care
3 10 coverage and can instead purchase health care coverage
3 11 based on sliding fee scales or other flexible buy=in
3 12 options; and
3 13 7. The transition between the health care coverage
3 14 for children with disabilities and the coverage for
3 15 adults with disabilities is coordinated in order to
3 16 prevent gaps in care. The transition between the
3 17 coverage available through publicly supported programs
3 18 and private insurance is made seamless so that persons
3 19 with disabilities are able to pursue productive
3 20 employment and build personal assets; and
3 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of
3 22 Representatives finds that applying these principles
3 23 and providing better health care access for persons
3 24 with disabilities and other Iowans will result in
3 25 prevention of new health problems or secondary
3 26 conditions, reduce adverse medication effects, improve
3 27 preventive services and continuity of care, and
3 28 support greater independence for persons with
3 29 disabilities and other Iowans.
3 30 LSB 6605HH 82
4 1 jp/nh/14