Iowa House Votes To Eliminate Tax Form Question

by Associated Press
March 23, 2013 11:51 AM


Iowa lawmakers are considering legislation that would eliminate a tool used to track uninsured children but has been criticized by those who operate the state child health program it was designed to benefit.
 
House Republicans voted this week to repeal the requirement on a state income tax form that parents indicate whether or not their dependent children have health insurance. The bill's Republican supporters say health insurance has nothing to do with filing an income tax return.  But critics say by eliminating this tool, uninsured kids may fall through the cracks.
 
Officials say the program is not very effective since only 678 uninsured children were discovered after reaching out to 139,000 families over four years through this method.