(Des Moines, IA) — Republicans in the Iowa House are considering changes to the application process for government food assistance and health care coverage through Medicaid. One bill would require the state to adopt a new online system to verify a person’s income, to ensure recipients qualify for government benefits. Iowa Department of Human Services director Kelly Garcia isn’t opposing the bill, but she said the agency already has made changes to make eligibility checks more accurate. Another bill would require applicants to submit personal information online to confirm their identity. Both bills have cleared a House subcommittee. Around 800-thousand Iowans are enrolled in Medicaid.
