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Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., 11/22/17

News

November 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:12 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than a third of patients in Iowa’s privatized Medicaid program will be unable to switch into one of two remaining insurance companies as originally announced because the company doesn’t have the capacity to add more people. The Iowa Department of Human Services made the announcement Tuesday. It means UnitedHealthcare will keep about 215,000 patients being sent to it after a third company, AmeriHealth Caritas, said it was leaving the program over failed negotiations regarding money.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors want to move out of Lee County the trial of a boarding school owner on sex abuse and other charges. A motion filed Friday in Lee County South District Court cited pretrial publicity in seeking a new location for the trial of Ben Trane. He’s pleaded not guilty. Investigators allege Trane used his position at the for-profit Midwest Academy in Keokuk to pursue sexual relationships with teenage students.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Top Iowa Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will release a document related to an internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment in their caucus, following pressure from within the party to provide findings. Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix says he will provide, by the end of the week, an “internal review document” related to the investigation. The shift came on the same day he announced a former GOP state lawmaker will advise their Senate office on “workplace culture.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say five more people from the Dubuque area have pleaded guilty to participation in a phone call scam. The five entered the wire fraud pleas in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Prosecutors say the scheme consisted of phone calls to elderly people across the country, telling victims that relatives were jailed and that money should be wired to free them. Earlier this year five other people pleaded guilty to similar or related charges.