Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 559: A bill for an act relating to speech language pathologist assistants and the medical assistance program, and including effective date provisions.

SF 559 would allow speech language pathologist assistants (SLPAs) working under licensed speech pathologists to be reimbursed for services provided to medical assistance program recipients (Iowa's Medicaid program). The bill requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to adopt rules enabling this reimbursement and to seek federal approval via a waiver or amendment to Medicare/Medicaid rules. This change would directly affect SLPAs and medical assistance recipients by expanding covered services, but only takes effect after HHS receives federal approval. The bill does not change current reimbursement for licensed speech pathologists.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables Medicaid reimbursement for SLPAs, expanding access to speech therapy services for Medicaid recipients under medical assistance program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SF 264: A bill for an act relating to prescription drug affordability, including the creation of a prescription drug affordability board.

SF 264 creates a Prescription Drug Affordability Board in Iowa to address high prescription drug costs. The board, appointed by the governor with Senate confirmation, will review drug pricing and may recommend upper payment limits for prescription drugs affecting all Iowans, especially patients with illnesses, opioid crisis communities, and healthcare providers. Key provisions require the board to hold public meetings, accept public input, and enforce strict conflict-of-interest rules (e.g., members cannot receive over $5,000 annually from drug manufacturers). The bill establishes this mechanism to review drug costs but does not yet implement price controls.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Prescription Drug Affordability Board to lower costs, improve patient access, and protect vulnerable populations from high prescription drug prices in healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs Substance Abuse

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 20, 2025

SF 336: A bill for an act relating to the ordering and dispensing of self-administered hormonal contraceptives by a pharmacist pursuant to statewide protocols.

This bill allows Iowa pharmacists to order and dispense FDA-approved self-administered hormonal contraceptives (like pills or patches) directly to patients under statewide protocols. It affects pharmacists and patients seeking contraceptive care without requiring a separate doctor's prescription. Key provisions include requiring the pharmacy board to develop state protocols with health department input, mandating record-keeping, and ensuring pharmacists provide written records to patients. The bill defines "self-administered hormonal contraceptives" as FDA-approved products solely for preventing pregnancy. This changes how contraceptives are accessed, expanding pharmacist authority within defined guidelines.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands patient access to contraceptive care by allowing pharmacists to dispense without separate prescription, improving healthcare service availability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 20, 2025

SF 339: A bill for an act relating to eligibility of pregnant women and infants for the Medicaid program.

SF 339 raises Iowa's Medicaid income eligibility threshold for pregnant women and infants from 215% to 375% of the federal poverty level. This change directly affects low-income pregnant women and infants whose families earn up to 375% of the federal poverty guideline, making them eligible for Medicaid coverage. The bill also requires Iowa to implement 12 months of continuous postpartum Medicaid coverage for qualifying pregnant women starting January 2026, and update infant eligibility rules accordingly. These changes align with federal requirements under the American Rescue Plan Act and aim to expand access to healthcare for this population.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women/infants to 375% FPL and mandates 12-month postpartum coverage, directly increasing healthcare access and coverage for low-income families.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Medicaid Women's Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SF 414: A bill for an act relating to the review and approval by the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing of housing and health care facility acquisitions by private equity firms.

SF 414 requires Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) to review and approve acquisitions of housing or health care facilities by private equity firms. Private equity firms must notify DIAL 60 days before an acquisition and provide detailed information, including financial records and plans affecting facility operations. DIAL cannot approve an acquisition if it would reduce access to quality, affordable housing or health care services, and must post all pending acquisitions online for public comment. This bill directly affects private equity firms purchasing housing or health care facilities in Iowa, creating a new review process to protect public access to these essential services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill prevents private equity acquisitions reducing healthcare access by requiring DIAL review and blocking deals that harm quality/affordability of health care facilities.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents private equity acquisitions that would reduce affordable housing access by requiring DIAL approval and blocking approvals that harm quality/affordability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SF 562: A bill for an act relating to utilization review organizations, prior authorizations and exemptions, medical billing, and independent review organizations.

SF 562 regulates how health insurers use artificial intelligence in reviewing medical treatments. It requires insurers to ensure AI tools used for prior authorization decisions (like whether a treatment is medically necessary) cannot replace doctors' judgment, must base decisions on patient history and clinical circumstances, and must be non-discriminatory. The bill also sets strict timelines: insurers must respond to urgent requests within 48 hours and non-urgent requests within 10 days, with extensions only for complex cases. Additionally, insurers must publicly post annual statistics on approval/denial rates for all treatments requiring prior authorization. This bill directly affects health insurers, healthcare providers, and patients by increasing transparency and accountability in insurance review processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates AI in insurance reviews to prevent replacement of doctor judgment, ensures non-discriminatory decisions, and mandates timely responses for patient access to care.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRegulates AI in health insurance to prevent bias, ensure clinical judgment, and mandate non-discriminatory use - aligning with consumer protection indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 20, 2025

SF 327: A bill for an act relating to dental provider reimbursement under the dental wellness plan and the dental wellness plan kids.

SF 327 aligns reimbursement rates for dental providers participating in Iowa's Dental Wellness Plan and Dental Wellness Plan Kids with the Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki) program. It requires providers to be paid at the higher of either the usual, customary, and reasonable fee percentage or the commercial dental insurance billing percentage. This change aims to increase provider participation and improve access for plan members by making reimbursement rates more competitive. The bill directly affects dentists and dental practices enrolled in these specific Medicaid programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAligns dental reimbursement rates with commercial insurance to increase provider participation and improve access to dental care under healthcare programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 20, 2025

SF 324: A bill for an act relating to provision of the state family planning services under the Medicaid program, and including effective date provisions.

SF 324 establishes the Iowa Family Planning Network under Medicaid by requiring the state to submit a plan amendment to federal authorities (CMS) for approval, using the same benefits and rules as the existing 2017 waiver. It repeals the current state family planning program, but this repeal only takes effect after CMS approves the new Medicaid amendment. The bill also directs state funds to increase awareness of the network's services in areas with high sexually transmitted infection rates, subject to legislative funding.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes Medicaid family planning network, directs state funds for awareness in high-STI areas, expanding access to healthcare services under existing waiver structure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 754: A bill for an act relating to health care including a funding model for the rural health care system; the elimination of several health care-related award, grant, residency, and fellowship programs; establishment of a health care professional incentive program; Medicaid graduate medical education; the health facilities council; and the Iowa health information network, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

HF 754 replaces several existing Iowa healthcare funding programs with a new "health care professional incentive program" to support medical workers in rural areas. It ends specific initiatives like the rural primary care loan repayment program and mental health professional loan repayment program, redirecting their remaining funds to the new incentive program. The bill also establishes a "hub-and-spoke" funding model for rural healthcare collaboration, requiring state approval from federal authorities. The bill was recommended for passage but was withdrawn on March 31, 2025, and is no longer active.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill redirects funds from eliminated programs to a new rural healthcare professional incentive program and establishes a hub-and-spoke funding model to strengthen rural healthcare access and support medical workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Primary Care

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died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 589: A bill for an act creating the compassion and care for medically challenging pregnancies Act.

HF 589, the "Compassion and Care for Medically Challenging Pregnancies Act," requires healthcare providers in Iowa who diagnose a lethal fetal anomaly (a condition likely causing a baby's death within three months after birth) to inform pregnant women about perinatal hospice services. It mandates the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create and post online a geographically organized list of these services in both English and Spanish, including descriptions and contact details. The bill directly affects pregnant women facing such diagnoses who choose to continue their pregnancy, providing them access to support services like counseling, medical care, and family assistance. Key provisions include requiring in-person provider discussions about hospice options and HHS’s responsibility to maintain an accessible, multilingual resource. The bill was withdrawn in March 2025 after committee approval.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates providers to inform about perinatal hospice services and creates HHS resource list, improving patient access to specialized care90% confidence

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