Weekly Script March 3rd, 2024 WEEKLY SC℞IPT Visit My Website We Must Increase the Quality of Life for Children with Complex Diseases Children with complex medical conditions or rare diseases face battles every day. During such fragile times, they should be focusing on recovery and living with their complex condition, not coordinating logistics with their care teams. But in many cases, children and their families are forced to wait for insurance companies to process and screen their physicians before they can even begin or continue treatment, which may cause delays in care that negatively impact a child's condition. Children with complex conditions who are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) often need to travel out-of-state to get treatment, requiring the out-of-state physician to enroll in the patient’s home state Medicaid program. Even though the out-of-state physician has already been screened and enrolled in their own state Medicaid program, the provider has to go through a lengthy and arduous screening process to get enrolled in the other state, leading to care delays. As a physician and parent, I understand the duty to care for our children's health. Therefore, in July, I partnered with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) to introduce the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act. This legislation would streamline the screening process by allowing providers in good standing in their home state and who treat children from other states, to enroll in multiple state Medicaid programs for a period of five years. This legislation simplifies out-of-state Medicaid screening and enrollment processes for pediatric care providers while retaining critical safeguards to preserve the integrity of the program. It would assist children, their families, and local hospitals like the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. On February 29, the House Energy and Commerce Committee conducted a hearing on legislative proposals to support patients with rare diseases and my bill was one of those discussed in the hearing. Dr. Alexander Bassuk, the Physician-in-Chief at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, testified as a witness at this hearing. He represented our community well and discussed how this legislation would benefit children, communities, and hospitals. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is a commonsense bill that will help children and parents by increasing the efficiency of access to care and improve the quality of life for children with complex diseases without incurring significant costs to the Medicaid system. I am encouraged by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s commitment to supporting legislation that benefits children. While we still have much work that needs to be done to cut screening processing times, I will continue to advocate for these children and their families. Weekly Wrap Up Iowans in D.C. It is always great to meet with Iowans while they are in Washington! It truly is my favorite part of serving in Congress. Speaking to residents of the First District allows me to stay informed of what is going on in their communities and what I can do to help. It was an honor to receive the Congressional membership certificate from the Civil Air Patrol! Thank you for the certificate, and thank you for sharing how the program has impacted your lives. From overcoming a fear of public speaking to becoming the first female drone technician in the Civil Air Patrol’s Iowa wing, I wish you all continued success in your future endeavors. Dr. Alexander Bassuk, the Physician-in-Chief at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, testified as a witness during this week's House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. He represented our community well and discussed how the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act would benefit children, communities, and hospitals. I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Iowa Community Development and Iowa Business Growth. We discussed creating opportunities and a path for an increase in new market tax credits for the state. I had an informative meeting with the American Society of Civil Engineers, the nation’s oldest engineering society. We discussed infrastructure funding projects and improvements in Iowa’s First Congressional District. Biogen is a leading global biotechnology company that drives innovation for complex and devastating diseases. I had the chance to meet with Rachid Izzar from Biogen to discuss the ORPHAN Cures Act, the DRUG Act, and ways we can continue to work to assist patients with rare diseases across the country. I met with Dr. Kim Budil, Director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, to discuss the laboratory’s contributions to advanced national security technologies and utilizing high-performance computing to expedite new drug development. American Council of Renewable Energy I was honored to receive the “Renewable Energy Champion Award” from the American Council of Renewable Energy. I’ll continue to promote Iowa’s great model of renewable energy options and innovation. American Medical Women's Association I joined the American Medical Women's Association during the Cardiometabolic Health, Obesity, and Women Summit to discuss why we must treat obesity like other chronic diseases and encourage the development of effective treatments. 20 County Tour It is always great to meet with Iowans as I travel across the First District! It truly is my favorite part of serving in Congress. Speaking to Iowans allows me to stay informed about what is happening in their communities and what I can do to help. The Newton YMCA is a mainstay in our community. I want to thank the community members for the tour of the facility, and I want to thank the YMCA staff for all that they do for Iowa's First District, from self-defense clinics to summer camps! Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend this week's Listening Post in Pella, and thank you for your insightful questions. I visited Dexter Laundry in Fairfield where high quality commercial washers and dryers are manufactured. Steel brought in from Marshalltown, IA and Chicago and exported in the US and around 75 countries. They also provide parts and virtual assistance of repairs for life, fielding about 28,000 calls per year. This is a DRILL. I participated in an engaging radiological exercise with Scott County Emergency Management EOC. Having done a few of these exercises both in the military and as a doctor, I'm very proud of their exemplary performance. I was honored to present the Congressional Award and recognize Tyler “Tiff” Lieberman's hard work. Congratulations! I toured the University of Iowa’s Division of Infectious Diseases. We discussed a broad range of topics, including the ongoing antimicrobial resistance crisis and workforce shortages. Thank you, Dr. Judy Streit and the Division of Infectious Diseases, for the important discussion and tour. For more than six decades, the Pleasantview nursing facility in Kalona has provided care for senior residents. This week, I toured the campus and discussed their services, quality care, and building renovations. It was exciting to tour the Van Buren County Hospital and receive updates about the progress that has been made since I submitted the community funding request and its approval last year. Thank you, Garon Carpenter, Kara McEntee, Ashley Moyer, and the Board of Trustees, for the tour and discussion. I met with the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission this week to discuss community project funding and their work in our communities and counties. Floor Speeches As we celebrate Women's History Month, I wanted to take a moment to recognize Beth Goetz, who was recently named the permanent athletics director for the University of Iowa! Beth’s groundbreaking appointment marks a significant milestone for women! Go Hawks! I was honored to recognize and celebrate the life of Larry Makoben of Bettendorf, Iowa. Congratulations, Zach Bott, a winemaker at Fireside Winery in Marengo and Ackerman Winery in Amana, for being named the 2024 Iowa Wine Growers Association's Winemaker of the Year! I took a moment to thank the Iowa Department of Transportation, the city crews, the county crews, and the volunteers who keep our roads clear and safe. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. Committee Hearings During this week's House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on legislative proposals to support patients with rare diseases, I highlighted the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act and the need to simplify the out-of-state Medicaid screening and enrollment processes for children with complex medical conditions or rare diseases. Legislative Roundup This week, I voted in favor of the following legislation: H.R. 7463, the "Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act," legislation that provides continuing FY2024 appropriations for federal agencies, modifies the requirements for determining eligibility for federal student aid, and provides additional funding for Federal Pell Grants. H.R. 7454, the "Airport and Airway Extension Act," legislation that extends authorizations for the airport improvement program, and amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. H.R 7102, the "Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act," legislation that provides statutory authority for the establishment of the Office of Native American Affairs within the Small Business Administration. H.R. 4984, the "D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act," legislation that transfers the administration of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus from the National Park Service to the General Services Administration (GSA) to facilitate leasing the campus to the District of Columbia. H.R. 6544, the "Atomic Energy Advancement Act," legislation that establishes various requirements to accelerate the deployment of nuclear energy technologies, such as advanced nuclear reactors. Sincerely, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks Be sure to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more updates. ### Rep. Miller-Meeks | 1034 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]