Government : Employment of Iowans with Disabilities a Policy Priority for 2025

Iowans with disabilities are calling on lawmakers to remove barriers and income limits so that people with disabilities can be employed, financially independent, and keep the health care coverage and supports they need to flourish in their community.The request is included as one of the priorities of the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council (Iowa DD Council) who released their public policy priorities for 2025. The Council is reinforcing the need to address employment issues after listening to the increased frustrations of Iowans who want to work but risk losing their healthcare and supports they need through Medicaid. "As Iowa's workforce crisis grows, people with disabilities continue to have to cut back on hours, or deny raises, or they just stay home, because if they earn too much, they can't get the coverage they need to be able to work," said Carlyn Crowe, Public Policy Manager for the Iowa DD Council. "It's a catch 22, private insurance doesn't cover the supports that Medicaid does, but they can't keep Medicaid if they earn or save more than poverty-level limits." The issues surfaced in the 2024 Iowa legislative session with the introduction of a bill that would increase the income and asset limits. But the legislation stalled, and some advocates are saying even those proposed new limits are not enough.According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median earnings for Iowans with disabilities was $27,395 in 2022. The median earnings for Iowans without disabilities is $42,622. The poverty rate for Iowans with disabilities in 2022 was 26.2 percent. The poverty rate for Iowans without disabilities is 10.9 percent."We hear so many stories about the fear of 'losing benefits,'" said Crowe. "What those benefits include are someone coming into your home to lift you out of your bed in the morning and into your wheelchair so you can get to work. People can't afford to pay for this support out-of-pocket so that's the kind of benefits they're talking about."The DD Council determines their public policy agenda by listening to Iowans' stories from all over the state, and working with advocates, state agencies, partner organizations, and other stakeholders to determine solutions to the challenges for Iowans with disabilities. DD Council members empower Iowans to bring their stories to lawmakers and advocate for change.The other 2025 policy focus areas of the DD Council include ensuring that students in public and nonpublic schools receive the special education programs and services they need to progress and thrive. There's also a call for lawmakers to prioritize funding for home and community-based services and eliminate waiting lists for services so Iowans with disabilities can live independently in their community.To review the council's public policy agenda, visit www.iowaddcouncil.org/public-policy-agenda. For more information, contact the DD Council at 800-452-1936 or contactus@iowaddcouncil.org.