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Iowa to hold hearing on health care expansion

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa residents have a chance to weigh in on the state's plan to expand low-income health coverage.

A public hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Des Moines on the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan. The hearing is part of the process the state must go through to get federal approval for the plan.

Under the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, the state will accept federal dollars offered to states that expand Medicaid under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

That funding will be used to provide health coverage for as many as 150,000 low-income residents by putting some on a new state-run program and to pay the premiums for others to get private insurance on the new health care exchanges.

Another hearing will be held Tuesday in Council Bluffs.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press