More Rural States Vote to Expand Medicaid

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows states to expand Medicaid access to childless adults whose incomes are below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. In the last two years, multiple attempts in Congress to repeal the ACA would have also ended expanded Medicaid. Where it has been adopted, expanded Medicaid has bolstered finances at rural hospital. The majority of recent rural hospital closures – about 90 since 2010 – have occurred in non-expansion states.

Iowa Hospitals’ Volunteer Programs Earn National Recognition

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has honored volunteer programs at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids and UnityPoint Health-Des Moines with its Hospital Awards for Volunteer Excellence (HAVE). The AHA HAVE Awards Program is in its 35th year and highlights the extraordinary efforts of hospital volunteers and volunteer programs as well as the value and positive influence their contributions have on hospital patients and staff and the communities they serve.

Study: Without Medicaid expansion, poor skip care

Among the report’s findings: Nearly 20 percent of low-income people in states that did not expand Medicaid said they passed up needed medical care in the past 12 months because they couldn’t afford it. That compared to 9.4 percent in states that expanded the program. And about 8 percent of those in states that did not expand Medicaid reported they either skipped medication doses to save money or took less medication than prescribed. That compared to about 5 percent in states that expanded.

Des Moines Hospital Earns Iowa Award for Jobs Program

Broadlawns Medical Center was recognized for its TEACH (Training and Educating Adults for a Career in Healthcare) program that targets individuals who have historically faced employment barriers. TEACH is a paid job-training program in which participants receive soft-skill training in professionalism and exposure to career opportunities that exist in health care. Since 2016, 55 people have gone through the program.

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