Investigation into the Transitioning of Reggis Kelsey out of Iowa's Foster Care System, 2003

Investigative report produced by Iowa Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman

Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report 2008, January 2009

The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program operates as a unit within the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs. Duties of all long-term care ombudsmen are mandated by the Older Americans Act. This office serves people living in nursing facilities, skilled nursing facilities, residential care facilities, nursing facilities in hospitals, elder group homes and assisted living programs. The long-term care system in Iowa has changed significantly over the past 10 years. Local long-term care ombudsman programs in Iowa are now well established. Iowa still ranks near the bottom of 53 ombudsman programs in the nation for ratio of paid staff to residents with one ombudsman for each 7,400 residents compared to the national average of one ombudsman for each 2,174 residents. The Resident Advocate Committee Program remains stable at 2400 volunteers and Iowa continues to be the only state in the nation with this type of program. Because volunteers do not receive training as required by the Administration on Aging, volunteers are not certified volunteer ombudsmen and the work done by these volunteers cannot be included in Iowa’s annual federal reports. With the changing population living in long-term care facilities, this volunteer job is much more challenging than in the past. Helping to build a long-term care system in Iowa that provides individualized, person-directed quality care is the long-term goal for this office.

Iowa State Profile Tool: An Assessment of Iowa's Long-Term Support System, March 31, 2009

The Iowa State Profile Tool is a comprehensive, high-level assessment of Iowa’s progress toward a balanced long-term care system – a system that relies less on institutional services and provides greater opportunities for the in-home and community-based services that most people prefer. This report includes long-term support for people of all ages and disability types and is based on a variety of state and federal data sources and interviews with public and private leaders in Iowa’s long-term care system.

2016 Quarter 1 Managed Care Ombudsman Program Quarterly Report

he Managed Care Ombudsman Program provides various services including education and information regarding managed care plans, services, care and processes, advocacy and outreach on behalf of members, and appeals assistance and complaint resolution for members needing assistance with resolving issues with their managed care plan or navigating the managed care system. This report provides an update on the following items for the first programmatic quarter (April, May and June 2016): • 1st Quarter Overview • Systemic Trends • Community Partnerships and Outreach • Managed Care Ombudsman Program Administrative Update

Medicaid Value Management Program SFY 2008 Report Executive Summary, 2007

In June, 2007, the Commonwealth Fund released a report entitled, “Aiming Higher: Results from a State Scorecard on Health System Performance.” The report ranked states’ health care performance based upon four areas: access, quality, potentially avoidable use of hospitals and costs of care, and healthy lives. Iowa was ranked second overall and was the only state to rank in the top 25 percent on each of the four measures.1 Coupling the HEDIS measures and CAHPS survey results with the Commonwealth report outcomes provides additional information for determining how the state performs with regard to the health care system, in general, and the Medicaid program specifically. For the past five years the results of eight outcome measures encompassing children and adults, and preventive, chronic and acute care have been reported by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center (PPC). The PPC is the independent evaluator for the Medicaid managed care programs and assists the state in an effort to understand the process of care within the Medicaid program. Seven of the eight measures are recommended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, while the eighth, annual dental visit, is used in recognition of the challenges found in providing dental care to Medicaid‐enrolled children and adults.

Infant Mortality in Iowa Interim Study Committee, January 1992

The Infant Mortality in Iowa Interim Study Committee was established by the Legislative Council to review historical trends in Iowa's infant mortality rates to identify the extent of the problem on a statewide basis. Identify areas in the state with the greatest incidence of infant mortality, and research health complications. Identify factors which lead to impoverished families, and research access to health care services. Survey and review the current structure of service provided to pregnant women in Iowa health care facilities, and solicit information on the level of existing prenatal services. Recommend changes in Iowa's health care system which would lower Iowa's infant mortality rate.

Legislators’ Guide of IPERBS, January 2006

For more than 50 years, IPERS has provided a core retirement plan covering most Iowa local and state public employees. With approximately 300,000 members and almost 2,400 covered employers, IPERS is the largest public retirement system in Iowa. The Legislature designed IPERS to provide monthly lifetime annuities that supplement social security benefits and personal savings, enabling public employees to care for themselves in retirement. The Legislature also intended for IPERS to be an employee benefit that would help Iowa’s public employers recruit and retain qualified personnel. As a defined benefit plan, the monthly benefit IPERS members receive is calculated using a formula. A member’s benefit increases as his or her years of service and salary increase. Because IPERS is a defined benefit plan, the Legislature is assured that the money contributed by public employees and their employers for retirement is used as intended. The benefit is paid as a lifetime monthly annuity. IPERS members cannot borrow or withdraw their money while in public employment.

Health in Iowa Annual Report: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013

The Iowa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an ongoing telephone survey. It is financially and technically supported by the CDC with further financial support from public and private sources. The BRFSS is designed to collect information on the health conditions, health-related behaviors, attitudes, and awareness of residents age 18 and over. It also monitors the prevalence of these indicators over time. The indicators surveyed are major contributors to illness, disability, and premature death. This report focuses on the data collected during calendar year 2013. Some of the health-related issues discussed are general health status, health care access, cancer screening, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, body weight, physical activity, oral health, diabetes, respiratory conditions, immunizations, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

Health in Iowa Annual Report: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014

The Iowa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an ongoing telephone survey. It is financially and technically supported by the CDC with further financial support from public and private sources. The BRFSS is designed to collect information on the health conditions, health-related behaviors, attitudes, and awareness of residents age 18 and over. It also monitors the prevalence of these indicators over time. The indicators surveyed are major contributors to illness, disability, and premature death. This report focuses on the data collected during calendar year 2013. Some of the health-related issues discussed are general health status, health care access, cancer screening, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, body weight, physical activity, oral health, diabetes, respiratory conditions, immunizations, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

LONG-TERM CARE Ombudsman, November 2014

Through advocacy, self-empowerment, and education by the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, each resident or tenant in a long-term care facility will be treated with dignity and respect and will have his or her rights honored.