Q: What is your message to Iowans this Veterans Day?

A: The nation's 21 million veterans have served America with sacrifice and service. And Iowa is home to more than 226,000 of these patriots who answered the call to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Called to duty in times of war, natural catastrophe or humanitarian crisis, these men and women in uniform maintained the nation's military readiness 24/7, 365 days a year. As a nation, we owe America's veterans a debt of gratitude. Whether working behind the scenes or fighting on the front lines, our veterans have served around the clock and around the world during our nation's hour of need.  Now it's America's duty to uphold the nation's promises to our veterans during their hour of need. Time spent in the military, away from families and careers, can create considerable hardship and heartache that is difficult to overcome. And the transition from military service to non-military life isn't always a simple integration, especially for wounded warriors who return battle-scarred with bone and brain injuries. Many war veterans need specialized care and rehabilitation for service-related injuries or treatment for mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. For all of our veterans who have worn the uniform with dignity and distinction, it is the least we can do as a nation to welcome their safe return into our hometown communities and productive transition into workplaces across the United States. On this Veterans Day, let's renew our commitment to America's veterans. Let's remember we are fortunate to enjoy the blessings of a free society. And let's honor those who have returned to home base, especially those who return broken in mind, body or spirit. By every measure of their service and sacrifice, they helped secure the land of the free and home of the brave for generations yet to come.

Q: What has Congress done this year to help veterans?

A: Working to fix the scandal-ridden Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) remains a top priority in Congress. I am keeping close tabs on beefed up accountability measures enacted last year to help root out employee misconduct and a culture of corruption within the VA so that veterans receive the benefits and services they deserve. But, the new VA Secretary has made it clear he still needs more tools to remove the bad eggs not focused on veterans' needs and who continue to poison the culture. The House of Representatives has answered that call and the Senate should follow suit. Recognizing the urgent need for additional resources to address mental health care for veterans, Congress this year also passed a bill I cosponsored, The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act and other provisions to prioritize VA programs for caregivers, homelessness, adaptive sports and vocational benefits for veterans with severe injuries. Lawmakers also approved reforms to the Veterans Choice Program that allow more veterans to qualify to receive health care from non-VA health care providers in their local communities. For example, the reforms expand eligibility for those whose wait time for a VA appointment would exceed 30 days or if their driving distance exceeds 40 miles. I'm glad the VA revised its 40-mile rule from the "as-the-crow-flies" to a more realistic driving distance calculation to reflect the reality of veterans living in rural areas who may live a half-day's drive away from the nearest VA health care facility. However, the VA continues to maintain that veterans are not eligible if they live near a VA outpatient clinic even if the care they need is offered 100 miles away at a VA hospital. I am supporting legislation to make the VA implement the Veterans Choice Program as Congress intended -- for the benefit and best interest of veterans and taxpayers - not the federal bureaucracy.

Q: Why did you create a veterans fellowship program?

A: Listening to Iowans and learning about their lives helps me do a better job representing real life concerns at the policymaking tables in Washington. With 35 consecutive years of face-to-face conversations with Iowans in each of Iowa's 99 counties ever year, I very much appreciate that having direct dialogue is an invaluable benefit that helps identify and solve problems. Reaching out to veterans is an important part of that process. This year I created a new veterans fellowship program in my Senate office to draw from the experiences and expertise of Iowa veterans. I am glad to have Don Bailey, a Vietnam era veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force, to christen this fellowship program in my Des Moines office. He has pursued outreach and engagement with veterans and service providers in local communities. Iowans who would like to share ideas with the veterans fellow currently serving in my Senate office are welcome to send an email to VeteransFellow_Grassley@grassley.senate.gov.  Representing the people of Iowa is a responsibility I take very seriously, particularly when it comes to upholding the public trust and restoring credibility in government "of, by and for the people." That includes upholding the nation's promise to our veterans. As I say to Iowa veterans I am privileged to meet during my county meetings and those from the Honor Flights who come to the war memorials in Washington, D.C.: You shall not be forsaken, nor forgotten.

Iowa veterans experiencing red tape at the Department of Veterans Affairs for health care benefits or other services may contact one of Sen. Grassley's six state offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City or Waterloo for assistance.

DES MOINES, IA - The United States Attorney's Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, together with the University of Iowa's College of Public Health and Injury Prevention Research Center, are hosting a collaborative interagency symposium on November 12, 2015, to discuss the skyrocketing rates of death occurring in Iowa from prescription medication and heroin overdoses. For the 13-year period beginning in 2000, Iowans dying from prescription medication overdoses increased twenty-fold. Heroin overdose deaths experienced the same alarming rate of increase, jumping from one to 20 deaths per year.

The keynote speaker is award-winning journalist Sam Quinones, author of Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. Participating in the symposium will be federal and state representatives who will be discussing medical, prevention and treatment perspectives. Law enforcement and legal implications will be analyzed. A parent's perspective will detail how the death of a loved one impacts the family.

Event Details

WHEN: Thursday, November 12, 2015
WHERE: University of Iowa College of Public Health (Callaghan Auditorium), 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, Iowa
TIME: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Opening remarks begin at 8:30 a.m. followed by keynote.)

Media wishing to attend should contact Northern District of Iowa Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Young at (319) 363-6333 no later than November 10th to confirm their attendance. A press release will be provided on the day of the symposium, and interview opportunities will be available.

# # #

November 6, 2015

It's time for open enrollment; the time of year when people can enroll in or change their health insurance plan. The open enrollment period for HealthCare.gov is November 1, 2015 to January 31, 2016 for 2016 coverage. How does this affect you? Most TRICARE beneficiaries don't need to worry about open enrollment. However, for beneficiaries who are not eligible for TRICARE coverage, have lost or are losing coverage, or may qualify to purchase a TRICARE premium-based health plan (TYA, TRR, TRS or CHCBP) you can utilize this open enrollment period to see if there are other health coverage options that work best for you and your family.

Read the full article here.

Sign up for TRICARE e-mail updates at www.tricare.mil/subscriptions.

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto today of House Bill 2482.

Similar to Senate Bill 570, the proposed legislation concerning the Child Care Assistance Program, HB 2482 would have unintended consequences that would negatively impact the state's long-term ability to serve individuals in need.

"These bills may be well-intentioned, but they are ultimately harmful to the programs they are trying to help," Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said. "The governor understands and shares the frustration of members who want to fund these programs, but the appropriate way to do so is in the context of a truly balanced budget. As drafted, both pieces of legislation would create serious problems that jeopardize the future of the Child Care Assistance Program as well as services for the elderly."

House Bill 2482 would lock into statute that an individual who qualifies for assistance is entitled to institutional care. Additionally, the approach contemplated by this legislation puts the state's compliance with Medicaid waiver regulations and ability to maximize federal match funds at serious risk.

As noted in the governor's veto message House Bill 2482 "takes a step in the wrong direction... For too long, Illinois has over-prescribed institutional care to lower-need individuals when less expensive and more appropriate care options are available. In order to provide the best particular care for each individual, to ensure that our support services remain affordable, and to maximize the number of individuals served, we must rebalance the services being provided with greater precision. Prescribing institutional care for individuals who do not need it is wrong for the individual and wrong for taxpayers. Moreover, over-prescribing institutional care is inconsistent with the direction being taken across the country."

Bill No.: HB 2482

An Act Concerning Public Aid

Action: Amendatory Veto

Note: Veto Message Below

 

 

Veto Message

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

99th General Assembly:

 

Today I return House Bill 2482 with specific recommendations for change.

The State of Illinois provides important support services to elderly and disabled individuals through the Community Care Program, the Home Services Program, and State-funded nursing care. At a time when the State is struggling to afford its past promises, we have an obligation to make the economic and government reforms needed to continue providing these services to the neediest among us.

Unfortunately, while well-intentioned, House Bill 2482 takes a step in the wrong direction. The bill would lock into statute that an individual with a particular threshold score on the Determination of Need (DON) assessment tool would be eligible for both institutional and home and community-based long term care services. Instead, an individual with the threshold score should be entitled to institutional or home and community-based care. Retaining flexibility to determine whether an individual is eligible for institutional or home and community-based care - as opposed to both - will ensure that the State is compliant with Medicaid waiver regulations and protocols and maximize federal matching funds.

For too long, Illinois has over-prescribed institutional care to lower-need individuals when less expensive and more appropriate care options are available. In order to provide the best particular care for each individual, to ensure that our support services remain affordable, and to maximize the number of individuals served, we must rebalance the services being provided with greater precision. Prescribing institutional care for individuals who do not need it is wrong for the individual and wrong for taxpayers. Moreover, over-prescribing institutional care is inconsistent with the direction being taken across the country.

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 2482, entitled "AN ACT concerning public aid", with the following specific recommendations for change:

On page 10, line 17, by replacing "institutional and" with "institutional or"; and

On page 21, line 5, by replacing "institutional and" with "institutional or"; and

On page 50, line 21, by replacing "institutional and" with "institutional or"; and

On page 55, line 17, by replacing "institutional and" with "institutional or".

With these changes, House Bill 2482 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR