Hospital accuses Iowa House speaker of using position for revenge

Dubuque, IA-based Finley Hospital has accused Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy of using his position to punish the hospital over a labor dispute involving Murphy's wife and other nurses. Lawmakers have approved a Murphy-written agreement that increases Medicaid reimbursements to Iowa medical providers by 1%, but the proposal excludes Finley Hospital. Murphy was involved in a labor battle with the hospital in 2007 in which he called for Finley's top officials to resign. Murphy's wife, Therese, is a nurse and was involved with the union dispute.