Capitol Notebook: Iowa Gov. Reynolds in no hurry to name new lieutenant governor

Speaking to reporters in Des Moines a day after Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she has a couple of names in mind to replace him but is in no hurry to name a new lieutenant governor, Radio Iowa and other news outlets reported.

The governor did not say who is under consideration to replace Gregg, who resigned effective immediately Tuesday to take a job as the incoming president and chief executive officer of the Iowa Bankers Association. The group advocates for, provides resources to and lobbies on behalf of Iowa banks.

"I want to make sure I take the time and get the right person there," Reynolds said Wednesday, according to reporting by Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson. " … We want to make sure we take a look at who that might be and what we want them to focus on."

Until Reynolds makes an appointment later this fall, Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, will be next in line of succession.

The governor said Gregg told her last Friday that he had the opportunity to become the next president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association. Reynolds said she and Gregg have kept "a grueling schedule" since May 2017 when she succeeded former Gov. Terry Branstad after he was named U.S. ambassador to China by then-President Donald Trump and she named Gregg as acting lieutenant governor to replace her. The two have since been elected to two terms in office, in 2018 and 2022.

The governor said she supports Gregg's decision to step down to focus on his family, calling it a "very demanding job" that "requires a lot of sacrifices." She said it has been "a tough" seven-year stretch punctuated by devastating natural disasters, including flooding, tornadoes and a derecho, as well as a health pandemic.

Reynolds would not say if she plans to seek re-election in 2026 and what her considerations might be for picking a potential running mate or someone to possibly run to succeed her as governor.

Asked if she was surprised that Gregg is leaving politics and will not run to succeed her, Reynolds said she picked Gregg with the assumption he would be "ready and willing to take that next step to serve as governor, but there's never any guarantees that's going to be the process," Radio Iowa reported.

"And ultimately it's going to be the people of Iowa who will decide who the next governor is going to be," Reynolds said.

Iowa AG names prosecutor to cold case unit

Iowa Attorney General Bird has announced Scott Brown will serve as the prosecutor for the office's new cold case unit, in addition to prosecuting cases for the criminal division.

Brown has worked in the Iowa Attorney General's Office for 27 years and has prosecuted cases across the state, including murders, sexual assaults, child abuse and misconduct by public officials, according to a news release. Before joining the Attorney General's Office, Brown served as assistant county attorney in Des Moines County and worked in the criminal division for the city of Oklahoma Municipal Counselor's Office.

Bird launched the new cold case unit in July dedicated to solving the state's more than 400 unsolved murders. The team will consist of three full-time investigators and Brown to work with law enforcement across the state.

"In his 27 years in the Attorney General's Office, he has proven that he is the most talented, experienced, and capable prosecutor for the job," Bird said. "With Scott's help, our new cold case unit will work to seek justice for families and ensure that no murderer walks free."

State announces intent to award Medicaid contract

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services said it plans to award a new statewide Medicaid contract to Iowa Total Care, a subsidiary of St. Louis-based health insurance provider Centene.

The department announced this week it selected Iowa Total Care to continue providing Medicaid managed care services under the Iowa Health Link program. The program administers Iowa Medicaid, the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan and Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki) to eligible adults, children and pregnant women. The four-year contract is expected to begin July 1, 2025, with a possible two-year extension.

Iowa Total Care has been serving Iowa Medicaid members since 2019. Health and Human Services, in a news release, said there will be no change in operations under the new Iowa Medicaid contract period.

According to a Centene news release, Iowa Total Care plans to continue to provide coordinated physical, behavioral and long-term care to more than 218,600 Iowa Medicaid, Iowa Health and Wellness Plan and Hawki members across the state's 99 counties, with a focus on expanding home and community-based services.

Centene, the largest Medicaid administrator in the nation serving about 13 million members, agreed to pay Iowa $44.4 million in 2022 to settle claims that it defrauded the state's Medicaid system by Iowa Total Care overbilling taxpayers for prescription drugs through transactions handled by Envolve, which is also owned by Centene.

Iowa Total Care is one of three for-profit companies that help manage the joint federal and state program that finances roughly $5 to $6 billion in health care coverage annually for more than 700,000 low-income and disabled Iowans.

State officials said Iowa Medicaid members will not see changes to their benefits under their current plan. Members will be able to make an enrollment selection change during the annual open enrollment period in spring 2025.

Health and Human Services Director Kelly Garcia said the state remains committed to "providing access to quality health care" through Iowa Medicaid, and that Iowa Total Care has "demonstrated a commitment to continuous quality improvement."

"We are pleased to award Iowa Total Care with this contract as they continue to meet the needs of Iowans and deliver essential medical services," Garcia said in a statement.