(Radio Iowa) – Federal lawmakers have yet to reach a deal on lifting the debt ceiling, which could impact some Iowans’ health care. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns if lawmakers don’t come to an agreement, the U-S could be unable to pay its bills as soon as June 1st. Josephine Gittler, director of the National Health Law and Policy Resource Center at the University of Iowa College of Law, says this could impact federally-funded health programs like Medicare. “Because Medicare makes up so much of what hospitals and other health care providers receive for their services,” she says, “that they would then either not get the money that they’re owed, or they would have delays, possibly in payments.”

In addition to Medicare, Gittler says a federal government default could affect Iowans who rely on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act subsidized health plans. “In a worst case scenario, the system is at risk,” she says, “the whole healthcare system is at risk if it loses a major source of its funding for its infrastructure, so to speak.”

Gittler says it’s unclear what will happen if lawmakers don’t reach an agreement because the federal government has never defaulted on its debt before.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports eight arrests took place from May 19th through the 25th. Those arrested include:

• On May 19th, 44-year-old Amy Marie Vance, of Council Bluffs. Vance was arrested on a warrant for Failure To Appear (FTA) on a Sentencing Order. She was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.
• On the 21st, 23-year-old Ciarra Nicole Rainey, of Malvern, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000.
• There were three separate arrests in Mills County on Monday (May 22): 33-year-old Joseph Steven Tyler Harris, of Sidney, was arrested at the Mills County Courthouse on a Fremont County warrant. His bond was set at $10,0000; 59-year-old Joseph Ray Hedrick, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Domestic Abuse. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail; and, 45-year-old Chad Michael Hill, of Red Oak, was arrested at the Montgomery County Jail, on a warrant for Failure to Appear.
• This past Tuesday (May 23), 38-year-old Joshua Dean Cooney, of Villisca, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for 2 counts of Possession of Controlled Substance (Bond: $7,000)
• On the 24th, 34-year-old Seth Ryan Peters, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Harassment/1st Degree (No Bond).
• And, at around 1:40-a.m. today (Thursday, May 25), 41-year-old Bret David Hauptman, of Omaha, was arrested at the Mills County S/O on a warrant for FTA on a Driving While Barred charge (Bond: $5,000).

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on Wednesday (May 24), of 39-year-old Aaron Hamner, of Milton, Iowa. Hamner was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. He posted a $300 bond, and was released.

Des Moines, Iowa — Police in Des Moines are investigating a shooting that happened late Tuesday night. The incident happened in the 1800 block of Arlington Avenue at around 11 p.m., Tuesday. Police say after an adult male suffered a gunshot wound to his upper torso, the man manage to walk to the 1400 block of 2nd Avenue. Officers and medics were dispatched to his location.  The victim, who is expected to survive, was not cooperating with police.

Marshalltown, Iowa — (UPDATE 11:11-a.m.) The Marshalltown Police Department is investigating an apparent murder-suicide that took place Wednesday afternoon. Officers responded a little before 4:30-p.m., to a residence in the 600 block of East Church Street, Wednesday. At the scene they found 57-year-old Hermelinda Alcala-de-Villagomez dead from a gunshot wound. Police also found 72-year-old Jose Carmen Villagomez-Torres, who was shot and suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was transported to a hospital and later died. The couple were married, but living in separate residences.

Police said a firearm was recovered at the scene. A preliminary investigation determined Villagomez-Torres shot Alcala-de-Villagomez before shooting himself.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was assisting the Marshalltown Police Department with the investigation.