Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House May 27, 2025

HF 303: A bill for an act relating to prior authorization and utilization review organizations.

HF 303 modifies rules for insurance company approvals (prior authorization) and the organizations that review medical treatment requests (utilization review organizations). It directly affects healthcare providers, insurers, and patients by changing how prior authorization requests are processed. The bill establishes specific timeframes for reviews and requires utilization review organizations to follow standardized procedures. This aims to reduce delays in patient care while maintaining oversight of treatment appropriateness. The legislation passed unanimously and was signed into law by the Governor on May 27, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReduces delays in prior authorization processing, improving patient access to timely care while standardizing insurer review procedures.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House May 27, 2025

HF 300: A bill for an act enacting the physician assistant licensure compact.

HF 300 creates a multi-state agreement (compact) allowing physician assistants licensed in one participating state to practice in other compact states without needing separate licenses. It directly affects physician assistants seeking to work across state lines and healthcare facilities in participating states. The key provision establishes a standardized licensing process where a license issued by one compact state is recognized by all others in the agreement. This reduces administrative barriers for physician assistants and expands their ability to provide care in multiple states without reapplying for licenses. The bill was signed into law by the Governor on May 27, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves licensing barriers for physician assistants across states, improving healthcare access and provider mobility without additional requirements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · Senate May 19, 2025

SF 474: A bill for an act relating to services and support for youth, including treatment, physical assessments, and behavioral health evaluations for youth involved in juvenile delinquency and child in need of assistance proceedings; the licensing and certification of certain residential facilities; the provision of home and community-based services and habilitation services to certain youth by residential programs; administration and supervision of juvenile court services; and the suspension of Hawki eligibility for inmates of public institutions.

This bill updates laws concerning services and support for youth under 21, especially those involved in involuntary commitment, juvenile delinquency, or child and family in need of assistance proceedings. It revises regulations for psychiatric medical institutions for children (PMICs), updating definitions and requiring them to provide comprehensive care that includes physical assessments and behavioral health evaluations. The bill also addresses the licensing and certification of other residential facilities, the provision of home and community-based services to youth, and the administration of juvenile court services. Finally, it modifies Hawki eligibility for inmates of public institutions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill improves rehabilitation services for youth in juvenile delinquency, enhancing treatment and behavioral health evaluations to support criminal justice reform and reduce recidivism.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands behavioral health services, requires physical assessments, and strengthens care for youth in juvenile proceedings, improving access to mental health support.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · Senate May 19, 2025

SF 233: A bill for an act relating to the right to try Act.

This bill expands Iowa's "Right to Try" Act by broadening the definition of an "eligible patient." Previously limited to individuals with terminal illnesses, the bill now includes patients with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses. These patients can access "individualized investigational treatments," which are drugs or products unique to their genetic profile and have successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trials. The bill also defines "eligible facilities" and updates the specific requirements for written informed consent for patients with terminal illnesses.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands patient access to investigational treatments by broadening eligibility criteria, enhancing healthcare options for those with life-threatening conditions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House May 19, 2025

HF 297: A bill for an act relating to certain emergency services provided by a city.

This bill makes several changes related to emergency services provided by cities. It clarifies that cities can provide compensation, stipends, or benefits to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical care providers even if they hold other city offices. The bill also allows a currently serving city council member to be appointed as a volunteer fire chief, provided they abstain from voting on their own appointment. Furthermore, it permits cities to establish dedicated funds or reserve accounts for acquiring and maintaining major equipment for police, fire, rescue, and emergency medical services. These funds will receive insurance settlements or other payments for damaged emergency equipment, with a provision for reimbursing the city's general fund if it covered initial repair or replacement costs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allows cities to compensate volunteer emergency medical providers and clarifies rules for fire chiefs, supporting emergency medical services infrastructure.75% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands benefits and compensation for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical providers, allowing cities to provide stipends and establish dedicated funds for these workers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House May 6, 2025

HF 875: A bill for an act relating to health insurers’ credentialing process.

House File 875 modifies the credentialing process for health insurers and certain healthcare providers. The bill requires health insurers to respond to credentialing requests from physicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and physician assistants within 56 calendar days. If a health insurer denies a credentialing request, it must provide the applicant with a written reason for the denial. These changes aim to improve the transparency and efficiency of the process by which these medical professionals become authorized to provide services and receive payment through health insurance plans.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves healthcare access by streamlining credentialing processes and requiring timely responses from insurers, enhancing transparency and efficiency for medical professionals.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · Iowa · House Apr 28, 2025

HF 977: A bill for an act relating to the expansion of the ground emergency medical transportation program.

House File 977 expands the ground emergency medical transportation (GEMT) program. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to employ dedicated staff to increase enrollment of eligible GEMT providers. These staff will offer technical assistance, actuary support, and help with Medicaid enrollment to providers seeking to participate. The department is also directed to develop the program to ensure access to emergency medical services statewide. Additionally, an annual report on the program's status, including enrollment numbers and barriers, must be submitted to the general assembly.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands GEMT program, increases provider enrollment via Medicaid assistance, and ensures statewide emergency medical access.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill expands ground emergency medical transportation program, directly enhancing access to emergency medical services via transportation infrastructure, aligning with transportation policy focus.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · Iowa · House Apr 25, 2025

HF 547: A bill for an act enacting the respiratory care interstate compact.

This bill enacts the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, allowing licensed respiratory therapists to practice in multiple states that join the compact. This directly affects respiratory therapists seeking to work across state lines and patients needing respiratory care in member states. Under the compact, a respiratory therapist holding an unencumbered license in their primary state of domicile can obtain a "compact privilege" to practice in other member states without needing a separate full license in each. The compact aims to increase public access to respiratory therapy services, ease administrative burdens for licensees, and address workforce shortages. It also establishes a commission to administer the compact and maintain a data system for licensee information, while preserving each state's authority to regulate the practice of respiratory therapy within its borders.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands access to respiratory care by allowing therapists to practice across state lines, improving patient access to healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House Apr 18, 2025

HF 309: A bill for an act relating to the review by the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing of certain deficient practices by nursing facilities.

House File 309 relates to the process by which the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing reviews nursing facilities. Specifically, the bill addresses how the department evaluates certain deficient practices identified within these facilities. It modifies the existing framework for DIAL's review of these practices, affecting both the department's oversight responsibilities and the operational procedures of nursing facilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill modifies DIAL's review process for nursing facility deficiencies, enhancing oversight of healthcare facility standards to address deficiencies.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · Iowa · House Apr 1, 2025

HF 509: A bill for an act relating to Hawki coverage for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder applied behavior analysis services, and the autism support program.

HF 509 modifies Iowa's autism support program by prohibiting new applications after June 30, 2025, while ensuring continued services for individuals approved before that date. The bill repeals the autism support program entirely effective July 1, 2027, and transfers any unspent funds from its dedicated support fund to the Hawki trust fund. It also requires medical assistance plans to cover applied behavior analysis services for autism spectrum disorder treatment. This directly affects current and future applicants to Iowa's autism support program, phasing out new enrollment while maintaining existing coverage until the program's sunset.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates medical assistance plans to cover ABA services for autism, expanding treatment access and strengthening coverage under healthcare policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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