A federal audit found a “payment error rate” of two-point-seven percent in the state-run program that provides health insurance to children. The national average was far higher, more than eight percent. Only one state had a lower error rate than Iowa. The federal audit also reviewed Medicaid payments in Iowa and found a four-and-a-half percent error rate. Roger Munns of the Iowa Department of Human Services says that’s an improvement from the error rate discovered in a 2008 audit.

“Every time that an error is identified, we do a correction action plan for it and when you pay attention to things, good things happen,” Munns says. “But I don’t want it to make it sound like we’re perfect. Obviously there is still room for improvement.” Over 400-thousand Iowans are enrolled in Medicaid. The parents of nearly 70-thousand Iowa children have gotten low or reduced cost health insurance for their kids through the state-run “Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa” or HAWK-I program.

“I think it’s useful, I guess, to know that people are looking over our shoulder and they sometimes find things in which we don’t perform as well as we’d like and, in this case, we find that we perform better than many of our peers,” Munns says.

The American Medical Association’s annual analysis of private insurance company error rates was released this summer. It found nine-and-a-half percent of claims were paid incorrectly by private insurance companies.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Police Department reports a local man was arrested Wednesday. 22-year old Michael Sherman, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Trespass. Sherman was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Tourism in Cass County appears to be thriving, especially with all the towns in the County banding together for a common cause. That was the message during Wednesday’s Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting. Supervisor Chuck Rieken said the communities can benefit economically if they continue to promote each other, not just the attractions in an individual town. That was evidenced by a tour group who came to Atlantic last weekend. While here, they learned about other sites and attractions in Griswold, including the new Cass County Historical Museum. He said there was a busload of people who came to Atlantic and toured the town before traveling to Griswold and having a “Great Time.”

Kenner Baxter talks about Cass County Tourism with the Board of Supervisors,

Kenner Baxter, Cass County Tourism representative, said “That kind of cooperation between the cities in Cass County, is what’s going to make tourism really work for us.” She said when you take Cass County as a whole, there is a lot to see. Rieken said things have improved greatly over the last few years with communities’ cooperation, stepping forward to help each other. Baxter said “That was the goal,” of the Tourism Committee – to help foster a sort of “All for one and one for all” mindset.

Baxter recapped for the Board some of the events in the County which drew large crowds and tourism dollars over the past year, and she mentioned actions being taken to spark additional interest in Cass County Tourism. She said  a National Bird Dog Competition took place in the Fall of 2011 and the Spring of 2012, drawing large numbers of competitors and their dogs. It was deemed a “great success.” There have also been group tours of the Tractor Museums and the Griswold area, the Committee raised funds from ad sales to support a 12-page section in the Chamber Community Guide, which will be coming out in the next month or so, and a booth at the Garden Seminar last April garnered a lot of foot traffic. In addition Nishna Valley Trails hosted a Bike Coalition at the Cass County Community Center, last April.

She said also the Southwest Iowa Regional Tourism group, which is comprised of six counties, is working on ideas for two-day or day-long group tours of the area, which includes theatrical performances and other attractions. The next meeting of the Cass County Tourism Committee is January 17^th at 9-a.m., in the office of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The public is welcome to attend.