(Radio Iowa) — Significantly more Iowans who get their health insurance through their employers are now on high-deductible plans, according to an annual report from the University of Minnesota. Elizabeth Lukanen, deputy director of the university’s State Health Access Data Assistance Center, says employers are likely trying to keep premiums low by raising deductibles.

Lukanen says, “To control costs, what employers are doing is they’re continuing to offer coverage, but they’re shifting some of those costs to consumers and to their employees.” The annual report found the number of Iowans on high-deductible plans jumped from 50-percent in 2017 to 57-percent last year. The national average is 49-percent. Lukanen says many Iowans may not understand these plans can be financially risky.

“The plan might seem affordable because if you have a higher deductible, you often have a lower premium,” Lukanen says, “but if you have a chronic illness or an unexpected health event, and you don’t have any savings, you can really quickly find yourself in debt.” The report found the average deductible for a single person rose 288-dollars over the past two years, an increase of more than 15-percent.

(Thanks to Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A supervisor with Iowa’s state Public Defender’s Office has a part-time side job as a local police officer, creating a potential conflict of interest. Michael Adams is supervisor of the special defense unit, which is appointed to defend low-income defendants in complex criminal cases statewide. But since 2008, he has also served as a part-time reserve police officer in the city of Colfax.

Adams’ unit is routinely appointed to defend clients in Jasper County even as he occasionally patrols one of its cities as an officer. The potential conflict has gone largely unnoticed, but it became an issue this month in a murder case involving a man who was investigated by Colfax police and is being represented by Adams’ unit. Adams says he has no direct involvement on either side of the case.

Still, multiple defense attorneys say they were stunned to learn of Adams’ dual roles.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A fire on the roof of a prison in Fort Dodge appears to be under control. The Iowa Department of Corrections says the fire was reported about 2 p.m. at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. Officials believe the fire started on the roof of a prison housing unit where contractors were making repairs.

Local fire officials say the fire appears to be under control. The Corrections Department says all prison staff, contractors and inmates are accounted for. The Fort Dodge facility is a medium security prison designed to hold a maximum of 1,400 inmates, overseen by a staff of about 260 people.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials are moving ahead with a proposed $24 million recycling center in Polk County that they say will ensure paper sorted for recycling is no longer dumped in a landfill. Environmentally aware Des Moines residents were frustrated after learning that nearly 20 tons of recycled paper ended up in the landfill every day last summer after the metro’s recycling company couldn’t find a buyer.

Metro Waste Authority official Michael McCoy says their agency, which runs the landfill, wants to construct the facility to handle, sort and ultimately sell up to 45,000 tons of recyclables annually. The Des Moines Register reports the recycling center could open in 2021.

McCoy noted the facility won’t increase the Metro Waste ratepayers’ trash and recycling fees. But the president of a recycling processor believes otherwise.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Friday), approved a Proclamation request from CCHS (Cass County Health System), proclaiming the month of September as “Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month,” in Cass County.The Board’s action came after they heard from Karman Roland, R.N, Director of the new, Senior Life Solutions Program at CCHS.

Karman Roland & the Cass County Board of Supervisors

Roland says as part of National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in Sept., CCHS, they have some things coming up at the Cass County Memorial Hospital that they will be promoting and making people more aware issues surrounding suicide, and how difficult it is to talk about.

The education aspect of the effort includes what to be aware of – the signs and symptoms to look for – to determine if someone is potentially suicidal. It’s being tied-in with Mental Health Awareness.

The Board will also gave their blessing to Lewis Mayor Jon Mosier, to proceed with the easement legalities and other steps necessary for to an ingress/egress driveway through Cass County property, for access to a “new” lagoon for the City of Lewis’ water treatment plant.

Mosier explained why the access road is needed.

He said the solution is an easement which will allow access into the lagoon system, which is also convenient for the yard pile/burn pit.

And, the Supervisors held-off on approving a partial funding from the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Fund, for a Cold Springs State Park roadway maintenance project, after they learned Cass County Conservation officials wanted to contract with Snyder and Associates for an Engineering Study prior to resurfacing the campground road at Cold Springs State Park. The Board felt those services could be performed by the Cass County Engineer, at a cost savings of $7,000. They implored Conservation Director Micah Lee to get together with County Engineer Charles Bechtold and work out the details.

In other business the Board approved a Proclamation recognizing September as “Voter Registration Month,” and Tuesday, Sept. 24th, as “National Voter Registration Day,” in Cass County.  They also discussed a long-range plan for courthouse heating & cooling system(s), as well as a long-range plan for the replacement of courthouse windows.

No action was taken, as the Board wanted to get more information from the architect, engineers, options, and cost estimates.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The former head of the Iowa Department of Human Services has filed a complaint with the state seeking $2 million for wrongful discharge. Jerry Foxhoven says in documents filed Thursday with the State Appeal Board that Gov. Kim Reynolds, her chief of staff and legal counsel fired Foxhoven on June 17 as he questioned whether it was legal for the DHS to pay the salary of a governor’s staffer who had moved from the agency to the governor’s office.

Foxhoven, known for his frequent workplace praise of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, says his firing was done to prevent him from enforcing his legal right to disclose information he believed was illegal. Reynolds has said Foxhoven never raised such concerns and never asked the staff for a legal opinion.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A former nurse who admitted diverting pain medications from residents at two northeastern Iowa nursing homes has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. The Courier reports that 36-year-old Lacey Staveley, of Evansdale, was sentenced Thursday in Cedar Rapids.

Staveley pleaded guilty last year to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception or subterfuge and another count of making false statements relating to health care matters. She was later charged with contempt after police say she stole pills from a relative after she had pleaded guilty to the nursing home thefts.

Prosecutors say she took hydrocodone intended for two chronic pain patients at Cedar Falls Health Care in November 2016, then faked medication logs to cover her tracks. Officials say she also took pain medication in 2018 from two patients at Harmony House in Waterloo and replaced them with anti-psychotic and antidepressant drugs.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber reports Middle School Chromebook computers will be issued to the District’s middle schoolers, on Tuesday.  The cover has a portrait of a Graduate, and they are protected by a durable cover.  The Dell 3100 computers can be used as a traditional keyboard and a touch screen.  Barber says “All of our Middle School students have had a meeting explaining operations and expectations.  During the month of September parents of middle school children will be required to attend an informational meeting on these computers.”

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns reports Mark Harris has filed papers for Anita City Council.  Karns adds, that there are two positions open for city council in Anita and the Mayor position.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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