Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 5, 2025

SF 209: A bill for an act relating to insurance coverage for prescription insulin drugs.

SF 209 requires most health insurance plans in Iowa to cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $25 per prescription (for up to a 31-day supply). It directly affects people with diabetes who have insurance covering insulin, limiting their cost-sharing for four types: rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting insulin. The bill sets this $25 maximum for plans issued or renewed after January 1, 2026, while excluding certain insurance types like Medicare supplements. Insurers may lower costs below $25 but cannot exceed this cap for covered insulin drugs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCaps insulin out-of-pocket costs at $25, reducing financial barriers for diabetic patients and improving access to essential medication.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicare Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 13, 2025

HF 408: A bill for an act providing an appropriation to eliminate the current waiting lists for the Medicaid home and community-based services waivers.

HF 408 appropriates state funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to eliminate all waiting lists for Iowa's Medicaid home and community-based services waivers as of June 30, 2025. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to use funds calculated by a Medicaid forecasting group (including staff from health, management, and legislative services agencies) to remove individuals from waiting lists. This funding specifically targets waiver programs that allow Medicaid recipients to receive care at home or in community settings instead of institutions. The amount spent and number of people served will be reported in the first fiscal year 2025-2026 forecasting report.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds to eliminate Medicaid waiver waiting lists, directly funding essential public health services within state budget allocation.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill appropriates state funds to eliminate Medicaid home and community-based services waiting lists, directly expanding access to healthcare coverage and improving patient access to services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 13, 2025

HF 375: A bill for an act establishing a state minimum hourly wage for direct care professionals.

HF 375 proposes setting Iowa's minimum hourly wage for direct care professionals at $20.00 starting July 1, 2025, with a $19.10 minimum for those with less than 90 days of employment. It directly affects employers in nursing facilities, home care, and child care centers who hire workers providing personal care, health services, or support for people with illnesses or disabilities. The bill defines "direct care professionals" to include home health aides, certified nurse aides, and similar roles. This state wage requirement will apply instead of the federal minimum wage if it is lower. The bill is currently in the Labor and Workforce committee after introduction on February 13, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes $20/hr minimum wage for direct care workers (home health aides, nurse aides) providing health services, directly supporting healthcare workforce stability and quality of care in facilities serving patients.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes $20/hr minimum wage for direct care workers, directly increasing wages and protecting vulnerable workforce in nursing/home care sectors.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 13, 2025

HF 405: A bill for an act relating to insurance coverage for prescription insulin drugs.

HF 405 requires most health insurance plans in Iowa to cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $25 per prescription for up to a 31-day supply. It directly affects people with diabetes who use insulin and are covered under health insurance plans that provide prescription drug coverage. The bill sets this $25 limit for four types of insulin (rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting) and applies to plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. It excludes certain insurance types like Medicare supplements, workers’ compensation, and dental/vision plans. The Iowa Insurance Commissioner will implement rules to enforce this requirement.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCaps insulin copays at $25, improving affordability/access for diabetic patients under insurance plans, directly advancing healthcare access for a critical medication.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicare Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 13, 2025

SF 117: A bill for an act relating to the prescribing, ordering, dispensing, and administering authority of pharmacists and practitioners.

This bill (SF 117) protects pharmacists and licensed healthcare practitioners (like doctors, nurses, and dentists) from employer or licensing board restrictions that interfere with their professional judgment when prescribing, dispensing, or administering medications. It prohibits boards or employers from creating rules that deter professionals from using treatments they deem appropriate based on their expertise and scope of practice. Any such restriction - whether in contracts, handbooks, or policies - is declared unenforceable and cannot lead to disciplinary action. The bill ensures professionals using medication decisions within their scope and best judgment cannot face license discipline for those choices.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects pharmacists/practitioners' autonomy in prescribing, enabling treatment decisions based on expertise without restrictive barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 17, 2025

HF 425: A bill for an act relating to reimbursement for the repair of complex rehabilitation technology under the Medicaid program.

HF 425 simplifies Medicaid reimbursement for repairs of complex rehabilitation equipment. It requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to stop demanding new prescriptions or prior authorization for repairs, as long as the equipment was previously prescribed and paid for under Medicaid. This directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries who rely on individually configured durable medical equipment (like specialized wheelchairs) and the providers who repair it. The bill defines "complex rehabilitation technology" as equipment tailored to meet specific medical needs for daily activities, ensuring repairs for such items follow the same streamlined process as the original equipment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves barriers (new prescriptions/prior auth) for Medicaid repairs of complex rehab equipment, improving patient access to essential durable medical devices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 17, 2025

HF 256: A bill for an act relating to the statute of repose in medical malpractice claims.

HF 256 modifies Iowa's medical malpractice statute of repose, extending the six-year deadline for filing claims beyond the standard limit when healthcare providers conceal the cause of injury. It directly affects patients who discover their injury was caused by negligence only after providers intentionally hid the malpractice. The bill adds a second exception to the six-year rule (beyond the existing foreign object exception), allowing lawsuits to proceed if a physician, hospital, or their staff concealed the negligent act or omission. This change applies to licensed healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, dentists, and hospitals covered under chapters 147 or 135B of Iowa law. The bill does not alter the standard two-year statute of limitations for when a claimant knew or should have known of the injury.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends statute of repose for concealed medical malpractice, protecting patient rights to sue when negligence is hidden by providers.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 17, 2025

HF 427: A bill for an act providing for Medicaid coverage of power standing device equipment on power wheelchairs for Medicaid recipients with a permanent physical disability.

HF 427 requires Iowa's Medicaid managed care organizations to cover the cost of integrated power standing device equipment on power wheelchairs for Medicaid recipients with a permanent physical disability, upon request. This equipment allows users to stand without transferring from their wheelchair. The bill mandates coverage when the device is deemed "reasonable and medically necessary" for the recipient's independence, function, health, and well-being. It directly affects Medicaid recipients who use power wheelchairs and have a permanent physical disability, ensuring access to this specific mobility aid.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid coverage for medically necessary power standing devices, expanding access to essential health equipment for disabled recipients and strengthening Medicaid benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SF 242: A bill for an act relating to health insurance coverage for specified pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders and postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathy.

SF 242 requires Iowa health insurance companies to cover diagnosis and treatment for pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), PANDAS (a strep-related subset of PANS), and postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathy as medically necessary. It mandates coverage for treatments like antibiotics, behavioral therapy, and immunotherapies without denying or delaying care based on prior treatment for these conditions or unrelated health issues. The law applies to most individual, group, and small group health insurance plans issued in Iowa on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes accident-only, dental, vision, and other specified coverage types. Insurance companies may still request treatment notes from healthcare providers to verify medical necessity.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates health insurance coverage for pediatric autoimmune disorders, expanding access to treatments like antibiotics and behavioral therapy without denials or delays.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Insurance

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 17, 2025

HF 426: A bill for an act relating to the provision of durable medical equipment to Medicaid recipients with a permanent disability.

HF 426 requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to mandate that Medicaid managed care organizations continue approving coverage for durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs or oxygen equipment) that Medicaid recipients with permanent disabilities were previously approved for. It directly affects Medicaid recipients whose conditions meet federal or state definitions of permanent disability (lasting 12+ months or resulting in death) and who haven't experienced significant health changes. The key provision ensures ongoing coverage for existing equipment without requiring new approvals, preventing sudden termination of essential support. This policy change aims to provide stability for vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries relying on critical medical devices.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates continued Medicaid coverage for durable medical equipment, expanding access to essential health services for disabled recipients without restricting benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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