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Can’t Find a Dentist for Your Kids? You’re Not Alone

March 22, 2024

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It’s NCAA Basketball Tournament time:

Iowa State and Drake women play today.

No. 1 seed Iowa plays tomorrow.

It’s Friday, Mar. 22, 2024.

Hey folks, it’s Amie, and despite the winter weather roaring back into our state lately, spring is supposedly on its way.

And with it, allergy season!

Iowa’s very own capital city was ranked No. 8 in the 2024 Allergy Capitals report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). And it might not be for the reason you think….

Analyzing the country’s 10 most populated cities, the study compiled data on daily tree, grass, and weed pollen counts, over-the-counter allergy medication sales, and the availability of specialists in 2023.

While Des Moines was average in both pollen count and medicinal use, it had a worse-than-average availability of allergists and immunologists,

which bumped us into the Top 10.

Not being able to see a health care professional in a timely manner is a big problem—and it affects more than just allergists.

(Ben Akiba/Canva)

For instance: Iowa dentists have slowly been dropping out of caring for low-income patients on Medicaid for years, saying the reimbursement rates were too low.

Now, the problem has gotten so dire that Iowans have few options, forced to drive for hours for care or pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket.

In order to encourage more providers to take Medicaid patients, the Iowa Legislature could increase the reimbursement rates for Medicaid, (similar to how they’ve done in the past for children’s mental health).

The big question is: Will they? (To wit: Iowa Republicans don’t even want to expand disability coverage for firefighters with cancer.)

Have you had an issue finding health care (of any kind) lately? I’d love to share some of your stories.

Amie Rivers

Community Editor, Iowa Starting Line

Email me

Question of the Week 🏀

As I mentioned last week, I’ll root for every Iowa-based team in the NCAA Tournament (unless they’re playing each other, then I’ll pick a favorite). My brother, on the other hand, will only cheer on certain schools.

What about you? Are there teams you’ll never root for?

Iowans like AEAs. Republicans are ramming through controversial reforms anyway

Sen. Molly Donahue (D-Cedar Rapids) speaks out against a bill to bring large changes to Iowa’s Area Education Associations.

Photo by Ty Rushing/Starting Line

Sen. Molly Donahue (D-Cedar Rapids) questioned her colleagues on why they were moving forward with enacting major legislative changes to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs), a plan most Iowans don’t see the need for.

“Nobody wanted this bill. Nobody asked for this bill. No one campaigned on this bill all across the state,” Donahue said during Monday’s Iowa Senate debate on the AEA legislation.

A recent Des Moines Register poll found that 56% of Iowans had a favorable view of AEAs. But nearly a quarter of Iowans weren’t sure.

If that’s you, read up on what an AEA does, how it’s funded, who it serves, and how Iowa parents and educators would be affected if funding is cut.