Resolutions on Healthcare

Healthcare Professional Recruitment and Tele-Health

Whereas there is a chronic physician and healthcare professional shortage in rural and other underserved areas;

Whereas recruitment of physicians is a challenge due to uncompetitive salaries;

Whereas a physician shortage not only puts patients at risk, but also puts unsustainable strains on physicians and their families;

Whereas tele-health is critical to serving rural patients;

Therefore it be resolved that Iowa provide incentives to medical professionals via student loan forgiveness if they serve a designated number of years in underserved or rural communities.

Therefore be further resolved that major Iowa healthcare providers set aside a certain amount of physicians’ appointments to be committed to tele-health care.

Medicare for All

Whereas Iowa Democrats believe that healthcare is a human right not a privilege and individuals have the right to determine their own healthcare;

Whereas Iowa Democrats recognize the health and well-being of Iowans cannot continue to be based on arbitrary private and public financial decisions and therefore advocates legislation to create and implement a publicly funded (single-payer), privately delivered, fiscally tractable, comprehensive, secure, high-quality, efficient, and sustainable health care system for all Iowans;

Whereas we must move quickly to protect, improve upon, and expand the healthcare gains made under the Affordable Care Act;

Whereas the Iowa GOP’s privatization scheme has left middle class and vulnerable Iowans with few options for reliable and affordable healthcare;

Therefore let it be resolved that the Iowa Democratic Party supports efforts to create a Medicare for All-like single payer program in Iowa that would provide comprehensive, secure, and quality healthcare for all and that essential to a strong single payer system is a vibrant public health system including our public hospitals, mental health services, and clinics, and a workforce that is protected and afforded opportunities throughout the transition.

A Strong VA: Honoring our Promise to America’s Heroes

Whereas veterans make up a significant part of Iowa’s population and are pillars of our communities;

Whereas the Iowa GOP have privatized Medicaid, leaving vulnerable Iowans who served in the Armed Forces at risk;

Whereas the national GOP has waged a destructive campaign on the services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through budget cuts, privatization schemes, and denied services;

Whereas the VA’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the best example of a single-payer system in the United States;

Whereas numerous studies by independent, and non-partisan organizations have shown the Department of Veterans Affairs is the highest-quality, best-integrated, and largest healthcare system in the United States;

Whereas private sector providers are unprepared to treat veterans with PTSD;

Whereas private sector providers are unprepared to treat veterans suffering from military-sexual trauma;

Whereas private sector providers are unfamiliar with veterans’ unique mental and physical needs due to their service to our nation;

Whereas the Veterans Health Administration currently faces a physician and caregiver shortage of more than 45,000 positions;

Whereas 1/3 of Department of Veterans Affairs’ employees are veterans themselves;

Whereas the private sector contractors tasked with maintaining the payments system have over-billed American taxpayers by tens of millions of dollars;

Whereas the American taxpayer has had to bail out the Veterans Choice program multiple times, costing billions of dollars for substandard, uncoordinated care;

Whereas private sector providers may prescribe unnecessary, unreliable coverage not paid for by the VA, leaving veterans to foot the bill;

Whereas between 2001 and 2014, suicide for veterans who did not use the VA’s VHA increased by 38 percent while suicide for veterans who used the VHA increased by only 5 percent;

Therefore let it be resolved the Iowa Democratic Party opposes all efforts to privatize the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Health Administration, whether by contracting out or through the current ’Veterans Choice Program’; let it be further resolved that the Iowa Democratic Party will supports the full-funding of the VA VHA and efforts to recruit and retain a highly-skilled workforce at the VA; let it be further resolved that the VHA becomes a blueprint for healthcare for all Americans.

Finding Responsible Solutions to Gun Violence

Whereas The Dickinson County Democratic Party is pledged to work toward a responsible solution to the ongoing public health crisis of gun violence in America;

Therefore let it be resolved that the state of Iowa and the United States approach addressing gun violence and responsible ownership through a five-tiered approach;

Therefore let it be further resolved that the 1996 Dickey Amendment banning CDC research on gun violence be lifted;

Therefore let it further be resolved that an allocation on the state and federal level of increased funding for mental health research, problem solving, and application;

Let it be further resolved that our state and nation will not cut corners or vital programs as our opposing party advocates - but by being a legislative leader in gun violence research as regards the mental health component of this problem;

Therefore let it be further resolved that an increased system of background checks on all gun purchases is and mandatory education and training requirements is instituted so that the prospective gun purchaser legal and mental background data are accessible to all law enforcement agencies;

Therefore let it be further resolved the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban be immediately reinstated.

End Medicaid Privatization and Fully Fund Mental Health Services

Whereas a starvation budget for mental health care and privatization of Medicaid puts an undue burden on local law enforcement, other public services, and most of all, Iowa citizens;

Whereas senior citizens require additional care due to dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other related mental health disorders and diseases;

Whereas Iowa does not currently have the adequate number of mental health care professionals;

Therefore let it be resolved that mental health care be fully funded through appropriation and Medicaid privatization be ended.