State Senator Jack Hatch of Des Moines testified on Thursday morning before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee at a hearing on the "What States Are Doing to Keep us Healthy."  Hatch, who serves as Chair of the Iowa State Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, focused his testimony on the positive effects of health care reforms passed by the Iowa Legislature during the 2008 session.  
 
Hatch was invited to testify by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee.
 
In addition to Senator Hatch, others scheduled to testify were:
·        Jonathan Fielding, M.D., M.P.H., Director and Health Officer, County of Los Angeles Public Health;
·        Bill Emmet, Director, Campaign for Mental Health Reform, Washington, D.C.; and
·        Allen Dobson Jr., M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health Policy and Medical Assistance, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
 
The Committee met in open session at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 22, in Room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.