Iowa Chamber Alliance | Federal Issues

Affordable Health Insurance
Of the 47 million Americans without health insurance, over 60% are small business owners and their dependents or their employees and dependents. Iowa can be rightfully proud that it has the third lowest percentage of uninsured people in the nation* and that Iowa small business owners have a wide variety of insurance providers to choose from. However, the high and rising cost of health care makes providing health insurance to employees increasingly difficult for small businesses. The Alliance supports cost containment and strategies for decreasing the cost of health care delivery in Iowa.

The Alliance supports making affordable quality health care accessible for small business owners and their employees.
The Alliance endorses state and federal legislation that promotes consumerdriven health care, such as Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts and increased use of wellness programs. The Alliance supports strengthening and expanding the current employer-based system while developing alternatives for individually owned health coverage.

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 8/2007 Report
Equality of Medicare Reimbursement
Affordable, high-quality health care is an Iowa priority and vital to the state’s economic development. Yet the single largest payer for care in Iowa, Medicare, fails to pay its fair share. Inadequate Medicare payments also have a direct and dramatic effect, through increased private health insurance premiums. This places a burden on businesses that provide health insurance and makes it more difficult for the uninsured to afford health care. And, in the case of publicly financed health care providers, these inadequate payments result in increased property taxes.
Immigration
As potential worker shortages loom for Iowa and the nation, the Alliance welcomes immigrants who want to contribute to the economy, politics, culture and society in Iowa. The Alliance supports streamlining the processes for highly skilled workers, raising the cap on H1-B visas, improving the international student visa system, allowing employers to recruit immigrant workers to fill labor needs when there is a shortage and establishing an employment eligibility confirmation system to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.
Social Security
After retirement, some workers choose to return to work while receiving their retirement benefits. The Alliance encourages federal officials to refrain from penalizing workers who return to work while still receiving social security benefits.

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Bill Clinton Said to Accept Terms of Obama Team
Nov 20, 2008 — New York Times
Daschle to join Obama's Cabinet
Nov 20, 2008 — Los Angeles Times
Deductibles march higher for employer-provided health insurance
Nov 20, 2008 — Los Angeles Times