DES MOINES -- "When it comes to health care reform, Governor Branstad is truly edging toward a worst-case scenario for Iowa.

No one is more involved with federal health care policy than Sen. Tom Harkin. His conclusion that the federal Department of Health and Human Services likely will reject the Branstad Plan for covering some of Iowa's uninsured is troubling to say the least.

Not only does the Branstad Plan purposely leave 70,000 Iowans without coverage, it requires new federal spending to be approved by Congress and offers less coverage than Medicaid.

If that weren't reason enough to reject the Branstad Plan, it's now clear the Governor failed to run his proposal by federal authorities or even design it in a way that is likely to be approved.   Now, Iowa stands to lose the IowaCare program we have, while missing out on a one-time opportunity to cover more than 150,000 of our uninsured neighbors.

Today, I am asking Governor Branstad to direct whatever concerns he may have to the existing Senate Plan (SF296) for Medicaid expansion, and working together I know we can find a solution to bring health care coverage to 150,000 Iowans.

I sincerely hope the Governor comes to his senses soon and realizes accepting federal funds set aside to cover uninsured Iowans is the best path forward.  The alternative would demonstrate failed leadership at its most harmful to Iowa."

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• The first tooth usually appears when your baby is 4 to 8 months old. Your child has 20 primary teeth (also known as baby teeth) at birth and they will appear gradually.
• Use a damp washcloth to clean your baby's gums after feedings.
• Once the first tooth appears, gently brush with a soft toothbrush, using water and no toothpaste.
• Avoid giving your baby a bottle at bedtime. This can promote tooth decay.
• As new teeth arrive, your baby's gums may be sore. You can rub your baby's gums for relief. Also, you can use chilled teething rings or pain-relief gels.
• Ideally, your child should first see a dentist between six and twelve months of age.

• More primary teeth will appear.
• You should begin taking your child to the dentist for regular check-ups.
• You should help your child to brush.
• Your child should drink water from a sippy cup.

• All the primary teeth should be in place. Your child will begin losing baby teeth as permanent teeth emerge, usually starting with the molars.
• Discourage thumb-sucking. It may lead to bite problems and crooked teeth.
• At this time, a dentist may place sealants on the child's teeth.
• By preschool, you can teach your child to floss.
• You should still supervise and assist with teeth-brushing. A pea-sized amount of toothpaste can be used, along with products containing fluoride.
• Continue to visit the dentist every six months for regular check-ups.

• By this time, your child will have lost most or all baby teeth.
• Child should be brushing and flossing without assistance.
• Limit soft drinks and sugary/starchy foods.
• Continue visiting the dentist every six months for regular check-ups.
• If necessary, your dentist may recommend a visit to an orthodontist for a consultation.

• Remind your child to brush twice daily and floss.
• Discourage smoking and other tobacco products, as well as oral piercings.
• Discourage excessive soft drinks and sugary/starchy foods.
• If dental alignment is necessary, your child should be given braces.
• Late teens and early twenties: Your child's wisdom teeth should be evaluated for proper placement and whether the jaw can accommodate them. In some cases, removal may be necessary.
• Continue visiting the dentist every six months for regular check-ups.

Healthy Iowa Plan improves access, rewards positive health by focusing on outcomes, and is sustainable

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today unveiled the Healthy Iowa Plan that will cover all of the approximately 89,000 uninsured Iowans earning below 100 percent of federal poverty level.

"The Healthy Iowa Plan is a modern health plan that will pay providers to care for their whole population and based on the quality of care they deliver, while rewarding positive health outcomes," said Branstad. "Under our Healthy Iowa Plan, more Iowans will be served by the private insurance market, with access to affordable plans available through health benefits exchanges."

The Healthy Iowa Plan is designed to help those who use it become healthier while being sustainable for the long-term. The plan reduces the uninsured in Iowa while also preserving an essential safety net for Iowa's neediest.

READ MORE ABOUT THE HEALTHY IOWA PLAN

"Governor Branstad and I have set the ambitious goal of making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation," said Reynolds. "To get there, we know it is critically important for Iowans to take ownership of their health. The Healthy Iowa plan increases access to health care coverage while encouraging a healthy lifestyle."

The Healthy Iowa Plan uses a sustainable financing strategy that provides hardworking Iowa taxpayers with budget certainty. The proposal fits within Branstad's two-year budget and five-year budget projection with a total funding pool of $162 million. New funding for the plan comes through Medicaid savings created by synchronizing traditional Medicaid eligibility with benefits available through the Affordable Care Act. The savings is redirected to covering uninsured Iowans at or below the poverty level.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today issued the following statement upon learning Iowa had moved into the top 10 in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index^®. Iowa increased 0.7 points to 68.1 in overall well-being in 2012, moving from No. 16 to No. 9 in the state rankings.

"I am excited about the progress we have made in making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation," said Gov. Branstad. "This ranking proves our efforts are working. We jumped seven spots in an effort we began less than two years ago. I want to commend all Iowans who are working on this important effort, and I want to encourage the people of this state to continue their great progress."

The following information was released by Wellmark, Inc., earlier today:

About the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index^®

Gallup and Healthways conducted more than 353,000 surveys between January and December 2011. The WBI, which has been polling 1,000 Americans per day, 350 days a year, evaluates six key areas of well-being in an effort to better understand the overall state of well-being in the U.S. Approximately 1.5 million surveys have been collected since polling began in January 2008, making the WBI the largest database of behavioral economics and information concerning holistic well-being in existence. The WBI is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 represents ideal well-being.

The core questions that make up the WBI survey were scientifically designed by some of the world's leading experts in economics, psychology and health to thoroughly measure how respondents are faring in all aspects of their lives: physically, emotionally, socially and professionally, as well as to take a daily pulse of how Americans rate the overall quality of their current life and outlook for the future.

The data resulting from the WBI can be used to identify where communities are doing well and where communities are struggling to target policies and invest in initiatives to optimize well-being, improving the lives of people in America and reducing health care costs.

About Wellmark

Wellmark, Inc. (www.wellmark.com) does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Wellmark and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., insure or pay health benefit claims for more than 2 million members in Iowa and South Dakota. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Healthways

Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) is the largest independent global provider of well-being improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities.  We provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and their team of experts to optimize each participant's health and productivity and to reduce health-related costs.  Results are achieved by addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now serves  approximately 40 million people on four continents.  Learn more at www.healthways.com.

About Blue Zones

Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live longer, better. The Company's work is rooted in the New York Times best-selling books The Blue Zones and Thrive?both published by National Geographic books.  In 2009, Blue Zones applied the tenets of the books to Albert Lea, Minn. and successfully raised life expectancy and lowered health care costs for city workers by 40 percent.  Blue Zones takes a systematic, environmental approach to well-being which focuses on optimizing policy, building design, social networks, and the built environment. The Blue Zones Project is based on this innovative approach.  For more information, visit www.bluezones.com.

About Iowa Healthiest State Initiative

The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative is the nation's first statewide comprehensive well-being improvement program. This business-led, government-endorsed effort is expected to help Iowans live longer, healthier and more productive lives, while also enabling the state to redirect billions of dollars currently spent on health care to efforts that will further grow the state's economy. The Healthiest State Initiative is designed to help Iowa become the number one ranked state for well-being within five years as measured by the WBI.