.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} States often serve as incubators for public policy. Interestingly, Iowa has been particularly adept in this area. Some 30 years ago, I was a member of a panel of Iowans who were given the task of discovering why Iowa stood out as a leader in creating legislation that often served as a model for other states and indeed, the nation. The foremost cause identified by the group was our exceptional ability to communicate with one another.

Our state is easy to drive around – no mountains or deserts here – and Iowans often get to know one another well through a plethora of state organizations. This allows people to bounce around ideas with one another, and to incorporate a variety of disparate thoughts into policy that works.

The state now has a chance to again take the lead through the Legislative Interim Commission on Affordable Health Care Plans for Small Businesses and Families. The commission has agreed that Iowa’s goal should be a health-care system that is universal, affordable, accessible and sustainable.

Its members have adopted eight principles to help guide deliberations. These principles include universal health coverage, affordability and choice. Health care should be accessible; financing should be a shared responsibility. Reforms should drive quality and contain costs, should do no harm and must be doable.

Here’s the neat part. Public hearings have been convened by former governors Terry Branstad and Tom Vilsack in Council Bluffs, Indianola and Bettendorf. More information is available at the Iowa Legislature’s Web site, www.legis.state.ia.us . Iowans can weigh in at www.legis.state.ia.us.-/aspx.SurveyForm/Health_Care.

During my 15 years with the Iowa Business Council, more than 1,000 Iowans participated in public policy discussions on a variety of topics, including transportation, education, welfare reform and the environment. From these discussions, which were usually based on research prepared by a university, came innovative ideas that have improved the lives of Iowans. Many of these ideas, particularly welfare reform, were adopted nationally.

For example, the National Commission for Juvenile and Family Court Judges at the time declared our welfare report “the most definitive statement on welfare reform in the country.”

Today our nation is struggling with a broken health-care system and what to do about it. Iowa can again lead the way.

Myrt Levin, now retired, is a former executive director of the Iowa Business Council.