Starting Tuesday, May 27, Grassley will lead open forums in Algona, Estherville, Okoboji, Sibley, Spencer, Sheldon, Rock Rapids, Hawarden, Le Mars, Sioux City, Onawa, Denison, Ida Grove, Cherokee, and Storm Lake.
Under Grassley's leadership, the Senate aging panel will study issues affecting an aging American society. At his inaugural hearing on March 6, Chairman Grassley focused on meeting the challenges of the baby boomer retirement. "Starting in 12 years, America will experience the greatest demographic shift in the history of the country," he said. "It's critical we are prepared."
Seizing the opportunity to maximize his leadership role and make a difference for Iowans, Grassley notes Iowa maintains a special position among the 50 states. Home to the nation's third largest percentage of residents age 65 and older, Iowa also ranks first in the U.S. with the highest percentage of citizens age 85 and older.
"I look forward to an open exchange and strongly encourage Iowans to attend these important meetings," said Grassley. "As Congress considers ways to save Medicare from insolvency and develops solutions to prepare for the retirement of the baby boomers, I want to be able to bring Iowans' ideas to the table and make them part of the national debate."
Grassley also can champion the concerns of older citizens through his senior position on the Senate Finance Committee. In fact, as a member of the powerful tax-writing committee, Grassley bears direct legislative authority over Social Security; Medicare; Medicaid, pension plans; and, a host of health-related issues including, maternal and child health care programs, home health care services, health insurance, and nursing care facilities.
Leading the charge for improved access to health care in rural America, Grassley in March introduced five legislative measures designed to help Iowa Medicare recipients and protect primary and emergency health care services in rural areas. In his crusade to guarantee Iowa taxpayers and Medicare recipients fair treatment under an "egregious" Medicare managed care reimbursement formula, Grassley is pushing to narrow the existing payment disparity and replace it with a common sense correction.
On May 19, Grassley will conduct his fourth Aging Committee hearing to study the national Medicare formula used to reimburse managed care plans. The Adjusted Average PerCapita Cost (AAPCC) rates affect the availability of managed care health plans in differentgeographic regions of the country. Representing the impact on Iowa beneficiaries and providers, Steve Brenton, Director of the Association of Iowa Hospitals & Health Systems, is scheduled to testify at the hearing.
"Even though all Americans pay the same 2.9 percent payroll tax to the Medicare Trust Fund," Grassley said, "Iowa health care providers are being penalized for practicing cost-efficient medicine and Iowa Medicare patients are getting the short end of the stick."
As chairman of the Aging Committee, Grassley's goals include plans to work aggressively to bring fairness and equity to managed care plans, curb health care fraud, study long-term health options, encourage private savings for retirement, and keep tabs on the Social Security Administration.
Continuing his promise to keep communication lines open with his constituents, Grassley asks Iowans to take this opportunity and help make representative government work. "It's my goal to help ensure the income and health care security for Iowans in their retirement years," he said.
A charter member of the Aging Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, Grassley has served as an active member of the Senate Aging Committee since 1981. Grassley earlier this year led 25 open forums throughout Eastern Iowa. The following schedule provides specific information on Grassley's events in Northwest Iowa.
Tuesday, May 27, 1997
10:30-11:30 a.m., Algona, Host: Kossuth Regional Health Center, EMS Conference Room, 1515 S. Phillips
1:00-2:00 p.m., Estherville, Host: Holy Family Hospital, Old Admissions Room, 826 N. Eighth St., *Park on the North side; use main entrance*
2:45-3:45 p.m., Okoboji, Host: Dickinson County Memorial Hospital, Village East Resort and Conference Center, Hwy. 71, North
4:30-5:30 p.m., Sibley , Host: Sibley Senior Center, 612 8th St.
Wednesday, May 28, 1997
8:30-9:30 a.m., Spencer , Host: Spencer Area Senior Center, Gateway North Mall, *Open forum kicks-off community health fair which begins at 10 a.m. in the mall.*
10:45-11:45 a.m., Sheldon , Host: Northwest Iowa Health Center, Oak Park Care Center Activity Room, 118 North 7th Ave.
1:00-2:00 p.m., Rock Rapids, Host: Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital, First Bank & Trust, 301 1st Ave.
3:15-4:15 p.m., Hawarden, Host: Hawarden Community Hospital, Conference Room, 1111 Eleventh St.
5:00-6:00 p.m., Le Mars , Host: Floyd Valley Hospital, Conference Center, Hwy. 3, East
Thursday, May 29, 1997
8:00-9:00 a.m., Sioux City, Host: Area IV Agency on Aging, Siouxland Senior Center , Large Auditorium Room, 217 Pierce St.
10:00-11:00 a.m., Onawa , Host: Burgess Memorial Hospital, Conference Room, 1600 Diamond St.
12:30-1:30 p.m., Denison , Co-Hosts: Crawford County Memorial Hospital & Crawford Co. Hometown Health Coalition, 2020 1st Ave., South Conference Room A
2:00-3:00 p.m., Ida Grove, Host: Horn Memorial Hospital, Conference Room, 701 E. Second St.
3:30-4:30 p.m., Cherokee, Host: Sioux Valley Memorial Hospital Educational Suite, 300 Sioux Valley Dr.
5:15-6:15 p.m., Storm Lake , Host: Buena Vista County Hospital, 1525 West 5th St., Dining Room