Iowa Senator Tom Harkin has announced plans to visit four Iowa cities this weekend to meet with community leaders and discuss the billions of health care dollars included in the recently passed economic stimulus package.  According to a released statement, Harkin will discuss how the legislation “prevents health care loss and ensures states can prevent eligibility cuts for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program…strengthens the health care workforce and invests in community health centers.”

Senator Harkin is involved with the ongoing health care reform efforts in Washington D.C. and in November he accepted an invitation by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to lead a working group tasked with crafting the prevention and public health components of health care reform.

Senator Harkin will be hosting meetings at the following times and locations:

March 13

• 4:00 pm
  Mt. Mercy College
  Flaherty Community Room, Basile Hall
  1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
  Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402

March 14

• 9:30 am
  St. Ambrose University
  Rogalski Center – Third Floor
  518 W. Locust Street
  Davenport, Iowa 52803
• 12:30 pm
  Broadlawns Medical Center
  Hunsaker Conference Room – Fourth Floor
  1801 Hickman Road
  Des Moines, Iowa 50314

March 15

• 1:15 pm
  Community Health Center
  300 West Broadway #6
  Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503