Iowa's Democrats Push for Change: Health Care Over School Vouchers

Iowa's Democrats have a bold plan. They want to use money from education savings accounts (ESAs) to help with health care. Right now, 41, 044 students use these accounts to pay for private school. That costs the state $327. 9 million. Democrats say they could use some of that money to help over 100, 000 Iowans with health care costs. Health care is a big issue. Many people saw their premiums go up when certain tax credits ended in 2025. Democrats think this is a chance to make health care more affordable. They say it's a better use of state money.But Republicans control the Iowa House. They are unlikely to agree. They passed the ESA program in 2023. Governor Kim Reynolds supports it. She says it helps students, not just schools. She wants to keep it going. Democrats have other ideas too. They want to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2029. They also want to make it easier for local governments to set their own wages. Plus, they want to freeze utility rates until 2030. They say these changes will help everyday Iowans. Republicans might not agree. They think the ESA program is working well. They also think health care should be handled by the federal government. So, it's unclear if Democrats will get their way.