House Resolution 6 - Introduced
PAG LIN
H.R. ________ S.R. ________
1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY WHITEAD, SMITH, WHITAKER, BUKTA, LYKAM,
1 3 FORD, FREVERT, REICHERT, THEDE, COHOON,
1 4 BERRY, and HEDDENS
1 5 A Resolution urging implementation of disability=friendly
1 6 principles for Iowa's health care coverage system.
1 7 WHEREAS, a higher proportion of working adult
1 8 Iowans with disabilities do not have health care
1 9 coverage as compared with the general population of
1 10 Iowans; and
1 11 WHEREAS, the lack of portability in health
1 12 insurance benefits often results in persons with
1 13 disabilities either being forced to remain in jobs to
1 14 retain health care coverage or to deliberately become
1 15 impoverished to become eligible for publicly funded
1 16 health care coverage; and
1 17 WHEREAS, as the average age of Iowans continues to
1 18 rise and health care coverage requirements become more
1 19 restrictive, many more Iowans are likely to either
1 20 become afflicted with a disability or otherwise
1 21 experience health care coverage problems now
1 22 experienced by persons with disabilities; and
1 23 WHEREAS, as the needs and challenges relating to
1 24 health care coverage have become increasingly
1 25 difficult to address, it is essential to adopt a set
1 26 of principles for the governor, the general assembly,
1 27 other policymakers, and businesses to apply in
1 28 addressing health care coverage needs of persons with
1 29 disabilities and other Iowans; NOW THEREFORE,
1 30 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
2 1 That the governor, the general assembly, other
2 2 policymakers, and businesses are urged to apply all of
2 3 the following principles in addressing the health care
2 4 coverage needs of persons with disabilities and other
2 5 Iowans:
2 6 1. An individual is able to maintain stable health
2 7 care coverage despite changes in employment or
2 8 accumulation of personal assets so that working adults
2 9 with or without disabilities are not dropped from
2 10 coverage due to the extent of a disability or the
2 11 amount of service usage;
2 12 2. Health care coverage is available to
2 13 individuals at an affordable cost by using various
2 14 cost=control strategies which may include pooling to
2 15 share risks and costs over very large groups of
2 16 individuals and the pools include both those who are
2 17 generally healthy and those who have disabilities;
2 18 3. An individual's contributions for the cost of
2 19 health care coverage are based upon both the
2 20 individual's ability to pay and the extent of the
2 21 applicable employer or public contribution to the
2 22 cost;
2 23 4. Health care coverage is made both physically
2 24 and cognitively accessible for all Iowans and the use
2 25 of limitation measures such as exclusions of
2 26 preexisting conditions is curtailed;
2 27 5. The range of available health care coverage is
2 28 made broad enough to cover an appropriate range of
2 29 benefits, including but not limited to medications,
2 30 mental health treatment, preventive services, personal
3 1 health items, and special equipment. Coordination of
3 2 care and benefits among multiple providers is used so
3 3 that the needs of persons with disabilities are not
3 4 met through a system of second=class care;
3 5 6. The eligibility determination requirements used
3 6 for publicly supported health care available to
3 7 persons with disabilities is separated from the
3 8 requirements for other publicly supported benefits
3 9 available to such persons so that persons with
3 10 disabilities are not forced to become impoverished or
3 11 remain in poverty in order to secure health care
3 12 coverage and can instead purchase health care coverage
3 13 based on sliding fee scales or other flexible buy=in
3 14 options; and
3 15 7. The transition between the health care coverage
3 16 for children with disabilities and the coverage for
3 17 adults with disabilities is coordinated in order to
3 18 prevent gaps in care. The transition between the
3 19 coverage available through publicly supported programs
3 20 and private insurance is made seamless so that persons
3 21 with disabilities are able to pursue productive
3 22 employment and build personal assets; and
3 23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of
3 24 Representatives finds that applying these principles
3 25 and providing better health care access for persons
3 26 with disabilities and other Iowans will result in
3 27 prevention of new health problems or secondary
3 28 conditions, reduce adverse medication effects, improve
3 29 preventive services and continuity of care, and
3 30 support greater independence for persons with
4 1 disabilities and other Iowans.
4 2 LSB 1436HH 83
4 3 jp/rj/14