Healthcare

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

passed · Iowa · House Apr 24, 2025

HF 1000: A bill for an act providing for the establishment of a veterans service organization grant program, and making appropriations.

HF 1000 establishes a veterans service organization grant program and fund under the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program provides matching funds to eligible veterans service organizations to help them employ staff. These staff members are specifically tasked with assisting veterans in filing claims. To receive a grant, organizations must demonstrate they have budgeted their own funds, and the bill initially appropriates $250,000 to the fund for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $250,000 for veterans service grants, directly funding a state program under budgetary authority.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAssists veterans in filing healthcare claims, improving access to VA benefits and support services.80% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes grant program funding veterans service orgs to assist with claim filings, directly advancing veteran benefits access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 22, 2025

HF 807: A bill for an act creating the compassion and care for medically challenging pregnancies Act.

House File 807, the "Compassion and Care for Medically Challenging Pregnancies Act," establishes a framework for supporting pregnant women diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly. The bill allows healthcare practitioners to inform these women about available perinatal hospice services and offer referrals. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to compile and post a geographically organized list and information sheet about perinatal hospice services in Iowa and nationally, available in both English and Spanish, on its website.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates healthcare providers to inform patients about perinatal hospice services and requires state to compile service listings, improving access to specialized pregnancy care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · Iowa · Senate Apr 18, 2025

SF 397: A bill for an act relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inmate assaults on department of corrections employees, and providing penalties.

This bill increases penalties for individuals who commit assaults against specific professionals, including peace officers, correctional staff, healthcare providers, firefighters, and certain state employees. It upgrades assaults intended to inflict serious injury or involving a dangerous weapon from a Class D to a Class C felony. Additionally, assaults causing bodily injury or mental illness against these professionals are elevated from an aggravated misdemeanor to a Class D felony. Other assaults, such as those causing contact with saliva, are reclassified from a serious to an aggravated misdemeanor, and carry a mandatory minimum 7-day jail sentence that cannot be suspended.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assaults on law enforcement and correctional staff, strengthening protections for criminal justice workers.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens protections for healthcare providers by increasing penalties for assaults against them, thereby safeguarding medical professionals.85% 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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passed · Iowa · House Mar 12, 2025

HF 318: A bill for an act relating to cost-sharing requirements for supplemental and diagnostic breast examinations.

This Iowa bill requires health insurance plans to cover supplemental and diagnostic breast exams with the same out-of-pocket costs (like copays or deductibles) as routine screening mammograms. It directly affects patients needing follow-up breast exams after abnormal screenings, ensuring they won’t face higher costs than for preventive screenings. The rule applies to most health plans sold in Iowa starting January 1, 2026, with a specific exception for high-deductible plans after the deductible is met for preventive care. The policy change aligns cost-sharing for these exams with existing standards for screening mammograms.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires same cost-sharing for supplemental breast exams as routine screenings, improving patient access to follow-up care without financial barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 12, 2025

HF 305: A bill for an act relating to the qualifications of a county medical examiner.

HF 305 amends Iowa law to expand the pool of professionals eligible to serve as county medical examiners. It adds advanced registered nurse practitioners and physician assistants to the current list of qualified candidates (which previously included only MDs, DOs, and osteopathic physicians). The bill maintains the existing appointment process, requiring the county board to select from lists provided by medical societies, while allowing temporary replacements from other counties if needed. This change directly affects counties seeking to appoint medical examiners by broadening the available qualified candidates. The bill focuses solely on qualification standards, not on funding or other policy changes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands eligible medical examiner roles to include nurse practitioners and PAs, increasing healthcare workforce capacity and access to public health services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 10, 2025

HF 313: A bill for an act relating to testimony at involuntary commitment hearings by physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners.

This bill allows physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) to testify at Iowa's involuntary commitment hearings on behalf of licensed physicians or mental health professionals who examined the respondent. To qualify, the PA/ARNP must provide three sworn statements: confirming they witnessed the exam, reviewed the written report, and that the primary provider cannot attend. It applies to both mental health and substance abuse commitment hearings, directly affecting respondents, their attorneys, and healthcare providers involved in these proceedings. The change streamlines testimony options while maintaining court oversight for waiver decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows PAs/ARNPs to testify in mental health commitment hearings, improving access to timely proceedings without primary provider presence, strengthening mental health service continuity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 10, 2025

HF 312: A bill for an act relating to orders for treatment of persons experiencing psychiatric deterioration.

This bill defines "psychiatric deterioration" in Iowa law as a condition where a person cannot understand their need for treatment, has a history of avoiding treatment, and is likely to worsen without intervention (Section 229.1). It requires court applications for involuntary treatment to specifically state this condition, rather than using broader terms (Sections 1, 7, 229.6). The bill also shortens the timeline for court hearings after a mental health evaluation (to 48 hours, excluding weekends/holidays) and clarifies procedures for hospitalizing individuals experiencing this deterioration (Sections 8, 9). It directly affects people facing mental health crises, hospitals, and courts handling involuntary commitment cases.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies criteria for involuntary psychiatric treatment and shortens court hearing timelines, improving access to mental health care services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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