An Iowa legislator within the House discusses the importance of helping people get access to the best health care available.

Governor Kim Reynolds made a proposal to alleviate workforce shortages as well as make health care more accessible with House File 972. The bill passed the Iowa House 93-1 with bipartisan support and District 28 Representative David Young admits this is the second bill related to health care that the House has passed. He details that the first bill was targeted to train, recruit, and retain healthcare professionals in underserved communities. 

Young shares that there were several healthcare loan repayment programs that were consolidated into one to focus on giving loan forgiveness to practitioners that are working in high need rural areas. He elaborates that there is an investment in to further benefit the medical field.

“We put money towards $150 million to create 115 new medical residency spots in Iowa for the next four years, and that’s aimed at our rural areas as well. And so, with our rural hospitals and doctors offices, we can entice those (in) medical schools and (those) just getting out of medical schools to go to rural Iowa and declare a residency in these areas.”

Young stresses that health care in the rural areas should be on the same level as the ones offered in the urban cities. The bill has now moved to the Senate for a vote before it can potentially get to Governor Reynold’s desk.