Julia Ziesman
-
The Basics
-
Julia on Patch
-
More Stuff
Comments
-
On the Blog Post How Should Home Schooling Parents Be Held Accountable?
-
On the Blog Post Economically Risky Healthy Iowa Plan
Julia Ziesman
8:10 pm on Sunday, May 12, 2013
ReplyI do understand that some people see the human cost of a piece of legislation first, and others see the financial cost of a piece of legislation first. But it will continue to confound me as to why the state legislature cannot find common ground to assist all those that need medical care. Our government was formed to unite us (thus we are called the United States of America) and to work as a large community to assist each other. Our country has become the shining example because we have shown that we care for each other as well as others across the world. What would democracy be without the caring of our neighbors?
-
On the Blog Post Economically Risky Healthy Iowa Plan
Julia Ziesman
12:29 pm on Saturday, May 11, 2013
ReplyGov. Branstad's concern for the future promise of federal money was addressed in the Senate bill that was passed and sent to the House. Even the clause that allowed Iowa to back out of their partnership with the federal government if the promise was not kept did not deter Gov. Branstad. It is too bad that people believe that "they'd rather have an iPhone". These people have clearly not been directly affected by chronic illness with or without insurance, nor do they know what it is like to be poor. By the way the Affordable Care Act has already helped my grandson who has juvenile diabetes and me when my COBRA insurance ran out. My job was eliminated in Hamilton County where the county economy tanked when Electrolux moved their operations to Mexico. So yes I am excited for the Affordable Care Act goes into full effect in 2014 so that no one can be kicked off their individual health care policy or be denied coverage because of any health issue after the loss of a job.
-
On the Blog Post Economically Risky Healthy Iowa Plan
Julia Ziesman
12:07 am on Saturday, May 11, 2013
March 2, 2013
Letter to the Editor:
Until recently, Governor Branstad failed to start working on any low income health system, knowing that Iowa had 3 years to develop improvements to IowaCare or to set guidelines for expanded Medicare. He just hired 2 companies for a meager $40,118 to expand IowaCare. It seems like a big task to complete in the 2 months left in this legislative session.
It would be helpful to put up this new system, the Healthy Iowa Plan, on a website that compares it with the current IowaCare and Medicaid systems, including costs and where the funding for this new system would be raised. -
On the Blog Post Economically Risky Healthy Iowa Plan
Julia Ziesman
11:45 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013
ReplyI have repeatly asked for an online comparison of Heathly Iowa Plan and Medicaid expansion for about 2 months thru Letters to the Editor, 2 legislative forums, and emails to Rep. Taylor. So far, no analysis has been made public. Our open records law requires it.
-
On the Blog Post Economically Risky Healthy Iowa Plan
Julia Ziesman
10:07 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013
Your opinion may be true but in the mean time we need to make health care available to low income Iowans who are seriously ill or will be if they do not have access to health care. Your position fails to look at the individuals who are suffering now just as Rick's does. Rural Iowa is full of those who need help but are unable to receive it because it is not accessible like it is in the urban area. Both of my farmer husbands died of cancer. So I was exposed to those who were not as priviledged as we were since we had insurance, even as corrupt as many health insurance companies are. So my fight for better health care for all may be both economic and political, but my passion is to get help for those who cannot help themselves.
-
On the Blog Post Economically Risky Healthy Iowa Plan
Julia Ziesman
5:22 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013
Rick, you made my point. Gov. Branstad based his decision on emotion and not comparative analysis. Medicaid was created by the Social Security Amendments of 1965. Iowa has administered its own Medicaid program for many years. So it should have been easy to compare the Healthy Iowa Plan with Medicaid to discover that yearly cost per person for Medicaid is $2,889 compared to the $7,491 per person according to NAMI's assessment.
-
On the Blog Post Taylor Statehouse Update: House Passes Bill to Provide 69,000 Iowans with Health Care
Julia Ziesman
8:41 pm on Friday, May 3, 2013
ReplyMy puzzlement is how can the new and improved IowaCare (the Healthy Iowa Plan) be implemented and not increase the budget. In SFY12, the total expenditures from all funds for the IowaCare program covering 63,500 Iowans was $162,099,515. The Healthy Iowa Plan will cover 89,000 Iowans at projected cost of $163,000,000 or more.
The new plan takes away $42 million county mental health property taxes to fund the plan. So how does that improve mental health care?
How many rural hospitals and primary care doctors will be in this new system?
There are too many unanswered questions to back this risky plan for Iowa. -
On the article Harkin Endorses Bruce Braley for Senate
Julia Ziesman
5:52 am on Friday, April 26, 2013
ReplyWell first, Rep. Braley votes in Congress in Washington D. C. He does not vote in the Iowa legislature in Iowa where HF510 is being discussed. What is odd that a press release is also found on Rep. Braley's website?
-
On the article Harkin Endorses Bruce Braley for Senate
Julia Ziesman
5:50 pm on Thursday, April 25, 2013
ReplyActually, I googled the info from a primary site. So I should have made up misinformation like JMPC. I guess facts do not matter.
Julia Ziesman
11:59 am on Thursday, May 23, 2013
Since No Child Left Behind was enacted, public schools have had to endure more standardized testing. While I do not agree with that trend in education, standardized testing is not only a reality in our education world but also in our work world. In order to get a graduation diploma, a homeschooler will have to pass the GED test. Then if they wish to enter college, they will have to take many standardized tests including SAT and ACT tests. Once a person decides on a career, many jobs require passing a standardized test, including doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, insurance salesmen. To be hired for a customer service job, many companies also require passing standardized tests. So unless a family wants to live in isolation, we are all a part of society. I feel very fortunate to live in a country that shows that they care for one another. It is heart-warming to see the reaction of people to disasters such as the Oklahoma tornado.