The 30 second advertisement will air on Sunday in Des Moines and the Quad Cities, in addition to online advertising across the state starting today. Watch the ad here: http://youtu.be/kcCI6mAg03w
DES MOINES — Progress Iowa today released a new television advertisement asking Iowans to call State Representative David Heaton at (515) 281-7327 and encourage him to support full Medicaid expansion.
Rep. Heaton is on the conference committee deciding what’s next in the Medicaid expansion debate. The committee is split 5-5 between Republicans and Democrats, and Heaton, a Republican, could represent the swing vote. He has already expressed serious concerns about Governor Branstad’s Medicaid plan because it covers so few Iowans, makes it tougher to receive access to health care, and raises local property taxes.
“We encourage all Iowans, and particularly those in Representative Heaton’s district, to contact him and tell him to support full Medicaid expansion,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “Representative Heaton will cast a key vote on the conference committee that is split down party lines, as well as a key vote when the bill returns to the Iowa House. It’s crucial for Iowans to express their concerns to him by calling and emailing in these final days of the legislative session.”
The ad released today highlights the benefits of full Medicaid expansion: covering an additional 150,000 Iowans at limited cost to the taxpayers, in comparison to Governor Branstad’s Healthy Iowa Plan, which will cover 60,000 fewer Iowans and cost the state an estimated $163 million more every year.
Uninsured young adults, veterans, the working poor, and the mentally ill would all benefit from full Medicaid expansion. In addition, expansion would create more than 2,000 jobs, according to a report released by the Iowa Hospital Association.
Throughout the legislative session, Progress Iowa has worked in coalition with 27 organizations, who formed the Healthiest Iowa Initiative, to educate Iowans and call them to action in support of Medicaid expansion.
For more information about the Healthiest Iowa Initiative and to watch the new 30 second ad released by Progress Iowa, visit www.HealthiestIowa.com.