Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds met with supporters and introduced North Iowans to acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, at right, at an airplane hangar at the North Iowa Airport in Mason City on Friday, May 26, 2017.(Photo: Bryon Houlgrave\/The Register)Buy Photo <\/p>\n
Gov. Kim Reynolds said she plans to discuss federal tax reform and Iowa's ailing health insurance exchange with President Donald Trump when he visits Cedar Rapids Wednesday. <\/p>\n
Trump is scheduled to speak at a campaign-style rally at the U.S. Cellular Center and visitKirkwood Community Collegewith Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. <\/p>\n
Reynolds said she will be participating in the visit to Kirkwood Community College. She said she also expects former Gov. Terry Branstad, who was recently confirmed as U.S. ambassador to China, to attend. <\/p>\n
MORE:Iowa college leaders tell Trump not to cut back on federal financial aid <\/p>\n
\"I look forward to seeing the ambassador before he heads to China,\" she said. <\/p>\n
But Reynolds said the visit is more than just a social call. She intends to discuss health care and tax policy with the president. <\/p>\n
\"Of course Im going to continue to talk about encouraging the White House to work with us on our stopgap measurefor insurance coverage so that we have an option for 72,000 Iowans to ensure that they have some type of coverage beginning on July 1 of 2018,\" she told reporters at her weekly press conference. <\/p>\n
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen has proposed tweaking Obamacare rules to encourage more young and healthy people to buy coverage on the Affordable Care Act's individual health insurance markets. The proposal is an effort to prop up the exchange,which has seen all three of the state's major carriers threaten to exit the marketplace amid growing costs and uncertainty at the federal level. <\/p>\n
Monday was the deadline for insurance carriers to file proposed rates for individual health insurance policies in Iowa for 2018. Medica, a relatively small,Minnesota-based carrier, was the only carrier to file, though they told regulators they would need to increase premiums by an average of 43.5 percent. <\/p>\n
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shieldsaid last week it would re-enter the market if the federal government approved Ommen's proposal. <\/p>\n
Reynolds said she also plansto \"do my best to encourage (Trump) to push forward and get tax reform done in this year.\" <\/p>\n
Reynolds last week citedanticipated changes at the federal levelas a possible reason that tax revenue came in lower than expected this year. She said Iowans may be making financial decisions based on their belief that federal tax reform will be implemented yet this year, creating some weakness in state revenue generated from income taxes. <\/p>\n
MORE:Reynolds defends Iowa's financial position following delayed tax refunds <\/p>\n
Iowa revenue continues to come in lower than projected. During the last legislative session lawmakerscut $118 million from programs and services while dipping into the cash reserves for another $131 million. Even after those cuts and reserve fund transfers, the state's latest projections indicate revenue for 2017 may still come in short by up to $100 million. <\/p>\n
Reynolds has the authority to cover that shortfall with up to $50 million from the state's reserve funds. But if the shortfall were to exceed $50 million it would force a special session of the Legislature, which convened for the year in April. <\/p>\n
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