(Radio Iowa) – Supporters say a bill working its way through the Iowa Senate could speed up the process insurance companies and government-run insurance programs require before approving a patient’s medical treatment. Seth Brown, a lobbyist for the Iowa Medical Society, says the bill addresses a huge headache for doctors, clinics and hospitals.

“Administrative burdens associated with prior authorizations are definitely the top pain point for our members and something that they voice a lot of frustration about,” Brown said. “For every 45 minutes of paperwork, it’s about 30 minutes of patient care, so that is a little bit of a lopsided equation.” The bill would require a peer-to-peer review when a doctor contacts a patient’s insurance company to try to reverse denied care.

“For example, if you have a gynecologist reviewing a neurosurgery, it just doesn’t make sense,” Brown said, “and so some constraints around that are definitely welcome on our end.” Iowa’s two major hospital systems — UnityPoint and MercyOne — support the bill. Insurance companies oppose it. Matt McKinney — a lobbyist for the Federation of Iowa Insurers — uses the phrase “utilization management” rather than “prior authorization.”

“Whether we like it or not, there are millions upon millions of dollars that are wasted in this country on health care,” McKinney said. “There are millions that have been saved this year, in Iowa, because of utilization management.” Jay McLaren is a lobbyist for Iowa Total Care, one of the three companies that’s managing all Medicaid claims in Iowa. He raised concerns about the bill’s requirement that notification letters include the name of the person who decided a doctor’s care plan is not approved.

“The people who put those letters out there do face threats of retaliations,” McLaren said, “and that’s something that we have a concern for based on the safety of our employees and contractors.” McLaren says his company quit identifying the people making prior authorization decisions in December of 2024 shortly after the C-E-O of UnitedHealthcare was shot to death in New York City.

The bill also would make it illegal for insurance companies to use Artificial Intelligence to authorize or deny medical treatment. Lobbyists for insurance companies told senators human beings are making prior authorization decisions and they don’t object to that part of the bill.

(Atlantic, IA) – Get ready to welcome spring by attending the Cass County Master Gardeners’ 2026 Spring Garden Seminar, scheduled for Saturday, March 28.  This year’s seminar is open to anyone interested in learning more about local garden topics, with a theme of Growing in Nature. The event will be held at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic from 9 AM to 12:30 PM and feature three presentations on timely garden topics. In addition to the presentations, the day will wrap up with an opportunity to make and take home a “puddling pool” for garden pollinators.

The event opens with registration and light refreshments at 8:30 AM. The first session begins at 9 AM with a presentation on Gardening in a Changing World by David McKinney with the Iowa Arboretum. The second speaker of the day will be Dr. Cindy Haynes, Iowa State University, sharing tips for Creating a Cut Flower Garden. David McKinney returns for the last session of the day to discuss Non-Native Plant Heroes. The program will conclude shortly after noon, with giveaways and a short closing. Participants are invited to visit the make-and-take station on their way home to create a custom “pollinator puddler” they can take home and install in their garden.

Plan now to join the Cass County Master Gardeners as we gather, learn and GROW together at the 2026 Spring Garden Seminar! Cost for the seminar, including refreshments and materials, is $30 for the day if paid by March 21. After this date regular registration and walk-in registration will be available at $35/attendee. Registration is now open and can be completed online by visiting the online registration page at https://go.iastate.edu/CZTFIK. Online registrations may be paid by credit card or check. Paper registration forms are also available at the Cass County Extension office or can be printed online. Registrations are not refundable but may be transferred to another attendee with advance notice.

A full schedule and program registration information is also available by visiting the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, or by stopping into the Cass County Extension office. Previous seminar attendees with a current email address on record will also receive a registration link by email. Questions can be directed to Kate Olson at 712-243-1132, or by email at keolson@iastate.edu. Mark your calendars, get registered, and plan to join the Cass County Master Gardeners for the 2026 Spring Garden Seminar on Saturday morning, March 28!

(Radio Iowa) – A survey of manufacturing supply managers in Iowa and eight other Midwestern states finds the tariffs enacted by President Trump last year are causing wide-reaching financial troubles for many American companies. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says even though the nation’s highest court struck down the president’s tariffs in late February, the damage is already done. Plus, Goss says Trump’s response will only continue making things worse.

“The Supreme Court issued a statement and a ruling that really saved the president from himself,” Goss says. “Now, he didn’t take that as I would have hoped he did, by that I mean, just let it go. He, instead, implemented even more tariffs and more uncertainty.” The president initially enacted the tariffs on dozens of countries, saying they would help to level the playing field for U-S companies to compete, but Goss says it’s clear the move had the opposite effect.

“The exports and imports for 2025, even with these tariffs, we’re still running a deficit and the deficit did not come down to any significant extent, about a half a percent from ’24 to ’25,” Goss says. “And of course, that hurts agriculture and manufacturing.” Goss says the monthly survey showed a sharp upturn in new February orders, which pushed the overall economic index for Iowa and for the region into solid growth territory, though he says difficulties persist.

“Six out of 10 supply managers in manufacturing in our survey reported that tariffs were hurting their firm, so that’s obviously not good,” Goss says. “We asked about AI, and this did surprise me, 87% said not much of an impact at all in their company thus far.”

The report says Iowa exported $13.6 billion of manufactured goods for all of last year, compared to $15.0 billion for 2024, for a 9.3% decline. Likewise, Iowa’s importation of manufactured goods fell from $11.6 billion in 2024 to $10.9 billion last year, for a 5.8% decline.

(Radio Iowa) – The University of Iowa is asking lawmakers to provide three-point-six MILLION dollars to recruit and support rural students interested in a career in health care. Barbara Wilson, the University of Iowa’s president, made the pitch during a recent budget hearing at the statehouse.

“We know that there are health care deserts around the state and our goal is to double the number of students who are interested in rural health care,” Wilson said. Federal data indicates there are more than 360 health professional shortage areas in Iowa and most of those are in rural parts of the state. Some of the new state funding would be used to provide scholarships to University of Iowa medical students who plan to work in rural Iowa after they graduate.

“Other states are doing this,” Wilson said. “It’s a competitive market, so the more we can do this, the more we can keep these bright young people here.” Wilson says another portion of the money would be focused on the training period after a doctor has graduated from medical school by creating more medical residencies in rural Iowa.  “It turns out the number one predictor for whether a medical student or a doctor will stay in the state is where is their residency,” Wilson said. “It’s not where they came from, it’s not where they went to medical school, it’s where is their residency? Residencies are costly, but they ensure that once you dig in for one or two years, all of a sudden you’re going to love that community and you’re going to want to stay.”

Fewer than nine percent of U-S physicians practice in rural areas.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – March 2, 2026 – If you drive on Interstate 29 near Onawa (Exit 112) you need to be aware of an upcoming project that may slow down your trip, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Sioux City construction office.

On Wednesday, March 4, weather permitting, I-29 traffic near Onawa (Exit 112) will be placed in a head-to-head traffic pattern so a maintenance project can be completed on the Iowa 175 bridge. There have been multiple hits to the structure in the past. Traffic on the Iowa 175 bridge will remain in a one-lane pattern until this maintenance project is completed.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or X (find links at  https://iowadot.gov/travel-tools/iowa-511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

(Guthrie Center, IA) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a single-vehicle, rollover accident last Thursday night. Authorities say a 2009 Chevy Impala driven by 17-year-old Kaya Marie Fiebelkorn, of Stuart, was traveling east on Whitepole Road at around 7:15-p.m., when the accident occurred.

The teen told Deputies a white pickup truck with a brush guard on the front was traveling westbound and coming into the eastbound lane of traffic. Fiebelkorn said when she swerved to the right to avoid a collision, her car went out of control. The vehicle left the road, facing almost 180-degrees in the wrong direction. The car slide sideways for a distance before the driver’s side wheels caught on uneven terrain and caused the vehicle to roll onto its top before coming to rest on the edge of the roadway. Damage to the car was estimated to be around $1,501. No citations were issued.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports also, a 2017 Chevy Silverado pickup truck driven by 45-year-old Jason Dale James McCorkle, of Audubon, sustained $4,000 damage, when it struck a deer on northbound Justice Road, at around 7:05-p.m. on Feb. 25th. The driver’s side airbag deployed front the steering wheel during the impact. McCorkle wasn’t hurt. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the scene of the collision.

(Clarinda, IA) – The Page County Attorney’s Office reports a jury in Page County has returned a guilty verdict against a man charged with Assault and Child Endangerment. The jury deliberated for a little more than an hour before finding 29-year-old Dakota Vilcoss guilty, contrary to his pleas, of one count of Assault, a simple misdemeanor. Vilcoss was ACQUITTED of one count of Child Endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor. His trial was held Feb. 26th.

Vilcoss

Vilcoss is currently free on bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled to take place on March 6, 2026. Vilcoss faces a sentence that could include up to 30 days in jail and a fine of $855.00.

This case was investigated by the Shenandoah Police Department and prosecuted by the Page County Attorney’s Office.

(Radio Iowa) – Eating disorders are among the most prevalent and dangerous mental health concerns for Iowa teenagers, and specialized treatment options in the state are limited. The University of Iowa’s Scanlan Center for School Mental Health is now offering treatment for eating disorders to Iowa students 12 and older, as well as for parents and school staff. The center’s Taylor Ford says an eating disorder is an unhealthy relationship with food that’s far beyond dieting — and it can be life-threatening.”Really severe eating disorders can be difficult to overcome,” Ford says, “but I think the key point is that recovery from any type of eating disorder is absolutely possible if you have the right support and treatment.” Treatment could involve several experts, including a therapist, a psychiatrist, a physician, and a dietician, while the process may take six months or several years.

Ford, the center’s assistant director of clinical services and crisis response, says there’s a misconception that eating disorders primarily impact girls and young women. “Eating disorders can affect anyone from any background,” Ford says. “We see individuals that are struggling with eating disorders across all genders, ages, races, and body sizes.” About nine-percent of all Americans will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, she says, which is about 291-thousand Iowans, though large numbers go undiagnosed. While many people have heard of anorexia and bulimia, Ford says binge eating disorder is actually the most common form. Early identification and intervention are key to saving lives and improving outcomes, and she says there may be warning signs.

“Sometimes you’ll see extreme rigidity around eating and food, an obsession with exercise and then distress if not able to exercise, increased anxiety around mealtimes,” Ford says. “Sometimes individuals who are struggling will avoid social events that involve food or just kind of socially isolate in general, and then it’s pretty common to see shifts in moods.” The U-I’s Scanlan Center also provides statewide mental health services for K-12 students.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds’ bill to restructure funding for county veterans services has cleared one committee in the Iowa Senate — and is ready for debate in another. Each Iowa county currently gets 10-thousand dollars to pay a veterans service officer. The governor says only a third of Iowa’s nearly 180-thousand veterans are signed up for the benefits they earned and her alternative ties funding to the county’s performance in signing veterans up for benefits. Dan Gannon with Disabled American Veterans says he supports the bill because Iowa can do much better at connecting veterans with the compensation they deserve. “I think by better use of the funds, appropriating the funds correctly, accountability, and holding people accountable will get us where we want to get,” Gannon said. Michael Mortensen is legislative liaison for the Iowa Association of County Veterans Services. He says most counties are opposed to the bill because one-third of them would lose funding based on what he says is inaccurate data.

Mortensen says they’d support incentives created with new funding. “We’re very much in favor of a lot of the ideas behind the bill, but the actual way of getting to it, and this really just hammering down from the state, does not equal out into better services to our veterans,” he says, “and that’s what we’re most concerned about.” Winnebago County Veterans Affairs Director Mary Lou Kleveland says the governor’s plan does not recognize that not all veterans qualify for a pension or disability compensation. “We have wonderful veterans who have served maybe two years or four years and they came out of the military without any problems. They don’t have hearing loss, they don’t have tinnitus, they weren’t injured while they were in service, so they’re not going to ever be eligible for disability compensation. That doesn’t mean we don’t serve them,” she said. “We may help them with VA Health Care. We may help them with…an Iowa Veterans Trust Fund if they have special needs.”

And Kleveland says only veterans who have served on active duty at least 90 days to receive a pension.The plan Governor Reynolds unveiled her proposal in January would see the top third of counties with a high percentage of veterans who are signed up for V-A compensation get 15-thousand dollars annually from the state for veterans service officers. The bottom third would get five-thousand dollars and the middle third would get 10-thousand annually if more of the county’s veterans are signed up for V-A benefits.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports six arrests took place between Feb. 23rd and 28th. Listed in order from the most recent to earliest arrests:

• On Feb. 28th: 49-year-old Molly Beth Carr-Gross, of Malvern, was arrested in Glenwood, for OWI/2nd offense (Bond $2,000); 32-year-old Angela Marie Simmons, of Council Bluffs, was arrested by Mills County Deputies in Pacific Junction, for Domestic Assault-Bodily Injury/1st offense (Bond $1,000).
• On the 27th of February, Mills County deputies arrested 39-year-old Tasheena Renee Jennings, of Glenwood, for Failure To Appear – Felony (Bond $5,000). She was arrested in Glenwood.
• On the 26th, 34-year-old Damian Blain, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood, for Violation of Probation (Bond $2,000).
• Mills County Deputies arrested 40-year-old Erica P. Zeleny, of Omaha in Pacific Junction Feb. 24th, on a charge of Public Intoxication (Bond $300).
• And, on Feb. 23rd, 37-year-old Brandon Paul Goodin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood for Theft in the 5th Degree (Value < $300). Bond was set at $300.