ICYMI: Bohannan meets with JCHC staff as part of health care-focused circuit
The Southeast Iowa Union | By Rural Restoration Project
Joann Timm, business office and revenue cycle director at Fairfield’s Jefferson County Health Center (JCHC), has worked in medical finance for 37 years.
The last five, she said, have been the hardest.
Timm, one of several hospital employees who met with a congressional candidate on Tuesday, June 16, leads the team that seeks reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers. Thanks to its designation as a rural critical access hospital, Timm said, JCHC’s insurance reimbursement rates are good. Getting insurers to pay, however, is more demanding than ever.
“It’s an irony, right?” said Brent Feickert, chief financial officer. “The more denials (for reimbursement from insurers), the more staff, more expense” the hospital incurs to appeal and obtain reimbursement. “It’s chasing our tails sometimes.”
Besides reimbursement, hospital staff discussed difficulty recruiting staff and problems with access to care with Christina Bohannan, the Democratic candidate for Iowa’s First District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Iowa’s 1st Congressional District contains the cities of Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington, and Indianola. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks faces a rematch against Christina Bohannan, who came within 0.2% of defeating the incumbent in 2024. Bohannan lost by just 799 votes out of 413,000 and outperformed the top of the ticket by over 8 points – more than any other Red-to-Blue candidate in the country. National forecasters, including the Cook Political Report, universally rate this district as a Toss-Up for 2026. With Rep. Miller-Meeks showing historic weakness at just 31% favorability and facing growing opposition even within her own party, Bohannan has the best opportunity to flip a Republican seat in the country.
