Healthcare Under Attack: A Crisis in Care

Town hall in Burlington calls out Miller-Meeks for her role in the healthcare crisis

Monday evening, Iowans gathered in Burlington to discuss Republicans’ attack on healthcare. 

Local leaders and community members spoke about the impacts of Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Republicans’ cuts to healthcare programs, including causing the longest government shutdown in history due to their refusal to lower healthcare costs. 

Dr. Arya Zandvakili, with Iowa Physicians for a National Health Program, spoke about how the ongoing crisis needs to be addressed. 

“Healthcare in the United States, and for Iowans, is under relentless attack,” Zandvakili said. “This is not the time for mere defense; we must go on the offensive. We need to demand improvements and expansions of Medicare and Medicaid. At the same time, we must also rein in the corporations that prioritize profits over patients.”

Matt Russell, executive director of the Iowa Farmers Union and owner of Coyote Run Farm, said that farmers are facing drastic increases in their healthcare premiums. 

“We are seeing our members working hard to maintain health insurance coverage,” Russell said. “ 27% of Farmers, Ranchers, and agricultural managers rely on the Marketplace for health insurance. Without an extension of the enhanced premium tax credits, costs will increase from $1000 to over $20,000, depending on a farmer or rural small business owner's situation. These costs are going to hit rural Iowans like a ton of bricks, just as other costs are going up and farm income is coming down.”

Sue Dinsdale, executive director of Iowa Citizen Action Network, pointed out the role that Rep. Miller-Meeks and Republicans have had in creating this crisis.

“Make no mistake – every single Iowa Representative and Senator continues to refuse to take action to protect healthcare for millions–forcing a government shutdown that will only make things worse for Americans who depend on basic services,” Dinsdale said. “What they’re not talking about is how all of this is meant to offset massive tax cuts for the wealthiest among us – people who I imagine do not have to weigh the cost of taking their kid with a fever to the doctor against the cost of groceries that month.”