Rock Valley, Iowa — Iowa Medicaid is not reimbursing disability providers at an appropriate rate, and that’s causing an employment issue. That’s the opinion of Hope Haven CEO Matt Buley.
Buley tells us he recently went to Des Moines to talk with legislators about the issue.
He tells us why that’s a difficult situation.
According to Buley, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds put a line item in her budget to address this issue, and that’s more than has been done before. But he says the amount proposed is an order of magnitude too small. The governor suggested $3.3 million. He says it should be more like $30 million. He says 75 percent of any increase would go directly to direct support professional wages.
Buley says he knows that the low unemployment rate, while it is a positive, effects every employer. But he says the situation is much worse in this case.
He tells us that in the last three years, awareness of the issue at the statehouse has improved, and legislators seem like they want to make this a priority this year.
Photo caption: From left: Rep. Skyler Wheeler (Orange City), Matt Buley, and Rep. John Wills (Spirit Lake)
