DES MOINES, Iowa — After the Iowa Senate amended a bill which requires 80 hours of work for those in order to be able to receive state Medicaid expansion; the Iowa House approved that amendment and sent to the bill to Governor Reynolds’ desk.

The bill was passed in a vote down party lines on Wednesday afternoon. House Democrats were frustrated at the amendment striking out a study on a work program for disabled workers, calling it the only good part of the bill.

“Then the only thing left to do is to gamble with the lives of over 180,000 Iowans who would lose their health insurance. 180,000 Iowans have the possibility of losing their health insurance. That’s the gamble. But gambling with the lives of Iowans who make less than $17,000 dollars a year and vote no on this bill,” State Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D), District 49 from Ames.

“And lastly, the last reason I think we should do this is because, frankly for me and I know a lot of us others here are feeling the same way,” said State Representative Josh Turek (D), District 20 from Council Bluffs. “I’m tired of the Senate treating us like children. We are all duly elected officials in this building. We are the largest independent governing body here. And I think that we should send this back to them and let them choke on it.”

The bill sponsor, Rep. Carter Nordman said that the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services plans to conduct the study without the directive to conduct that study.

“While I would prefer this study remain in code, I have had extensive conversations with Director Garcia and have received her full commitment to conducting the study without a directive,” said State Representative Carter Nordman (R) District 47 from Adel.

The bill is now eligible to be signed into law by Governor Reynolds, who last month requested a federal waiver to have 100 hours of work required for those able on state Medicaid. There is a list of those exempted from the ages 19 to 65-years-old in the legislation.

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