BRIEFLY Iowa senators seek to halt Medicaid privatization in DC trip

BRIEFLY Iowa senators seek to halt Medicaid privatization in DC trip

DES MOINES (AP) — Three Iowa Senate Democrats plan to meet with federal officials in Washington on Wednesday in hopes of stopping implementation of Gov. Terry Branstad's proposed privatization of the state's Medicaid program.

Senate President Pam Jochum of Dubuque and Sens. Amanda Ragan of Mason City and Liz Mathis of Robins say the privatization plan is disorganized and leaves too many major questions unanswered to be implemented on Jan. 1.

The governor must get permission from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to go forward with the plan, which would shift management of the state's $4.2 billion Medicaid program to four for-profit private insurance companies. The program provides care to poor children and families, disabled people and some low-income adults.

Branstad says the privatization move will improve care and cut costs.

Branstad joins lawsuit challenging EPA clean water rules

DES MOINES (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has joined a federal lawsuit that challenges new federal rules on the oversight of smaller waterways, tributaries and wetlands.

Branstad said Tuesday he had intervened in a case pending in North Dakota against the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Branstad says he joins the lawsuit in support of 13 other states.

Opponents say the rules, issued earlier this year, are a federal power grab that impose barriers in allowing states to properly oversee water quality practices. Supporters, including President Barack Obama, say they protect those bodies of water from development and pollution.

The rules are on hold as federal courts consider a number of lawsuits over their implementation.

UnityPoint Health, Minnesota insurer form insurance company

DES MOINES (AP) — Des Moines-based hospital and medical clinic company UnityPoint Health is getting into the health insurance business.

The company said Tuesday it has partnered with Bloomington, Minnesota health care provider and insurer HealthPartners to create a health insurance company to be called HealthPartners Unity Point Health.

The joint venture is seeking licenses from insurance regulators in Iowa and Illinois and plans to begin selling Medicare Advantage policies late next year. Plans for other individuals and group policies for employers may be added later.

Troy Caraway, UnityPoint Health senior vice president says the closer insurers and health care providers can be brought together, the greater opportunity there is for coordinated more efficient care.

Hospitals across the United States have increasingly entering such ventures to create their own insurance companies.

Iowa man pleads guilty to vehicular homicide in 2014 crash

WASHBURN (AP) — An Iowa man has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in connection to a fatal 2014 crash.

Thirty-year-old Joshua Dunt, of Raymond, entered the plea Monday on a charge of vehicular homicide by intoxication in the October 2014 death of 20-year-old Warren VanWie. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports Dunt will be sentenced at a later date and he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Authorities say Dunt was driving a car in Washburn, outside of Waterloo, when he crossed the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle driven by VanWie. He died of his injuries and a passenger in his car was hospitalized.

Dunt was accused of having prescription drugs in his system at the time of the crash.

Nebraska man convicted in Iowa hit-and-run gets prison

SIOUX CITY (AP) — A Nebraska man convicted in the hit-and-run death of an Iowa man who was trying to help him has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Twenty-nine-year-old Dustin Suppi was sentenced Tuesday on a vehicular homicide charge in the August death of Troy Ford, of Sioux City. A plea deal with prosecutors dropped a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Troy Ford and his wife, Liz Ford, found Suppi on Aug. 8 slumped over the steering wheel of a pickup. As Liz Ford called for help, Suppi woke up and put the pickup into drive. A trailer attached to the vehicle ran over Troy Ford.

The Sioux City Journal reports Suppi, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, told Liz Ford during the sentencing hearing he was sorry.