HF 2662 establishes Iowa's Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Program and fund to reimburse treatment costs for eligible veterans. The bill creates a state fund to cover expenses for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (specialized oxygen treatment) for Iowa veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injury or PTSD, as prescribed by a healthcare provider. Veterans service organizations must submit approved treatment plans to the Department of Veterans Affairs before treatment begins, and facilities providing this therapy must offer it at no cost to veterans. Reimbursement occurs after treatment plan approval and verification of health improvements, with annual reports required on program effectiveness. This directly affects Iowa veterans with qualifying conditions, treatment facilities, and veterans service organizations coordinating care.
HF 2676 requires physicians in specific specialties (like family medicine, pediatrics, and surgery) to complete one hour of nutrition and metabolic health continuing education every four years to renew their licenses. It also mandates that Iowa medical schools require 40 hours of nutrition coursework for graduation starting in 2028. The bill prohibits schools from serving meals containing eight specific dyes (including blue dye 1 and red dye 40) during the school day and bans their sale on campus. Additionally, it allows pharmacists to distribute ivermectin as an over-the-counter medication without professional penalties. These provisions directly affect healthcare professionals, medical students, schools, and pharmacies.
Iowa's SSB 3116 enacts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, allowing licensed psychologists to provide telepsychology services across state lines and offer up to 30 days of temporary in-person care annually in another participating state without needing a new license. This directly affects licensed psychologists seeking to serve clients in other compact states and their clients, particularly in rural or underserved areas. Key mechanisms include creating a shared system for verifying licenses and disciplinary records between states, requiring psychologists to notify the receiving state before temporary practice, and defining "telepsychology" as service delivery via technology. The compact prioritizes public safety by ensuring psychologists meet licensing standards and enabling states to share enforcement information. It does not apply to permanent practice or psychologists licensed in both states.
This bill (SF 2348) requires Iowa employers (like city councils or county boards) to provide full health insurance coverage at no cost to survivors for two groups:
1. Spouses and children of firefighters or peace officers who died in the line of duty, and
2. Firefighters or peace officers receiving disability benefits due to work-related injuries or disabilities, until age 55.
Currently, employers could opt to pay only part of the cost or let survivors cover the difference; this bill eliminates that option. The coverage must continue as existing plans for survivors or be reenrolled for disabled personnel under the employer’s expense.
This bill prohibits Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) from approving ownership transfers of licensed nursing facilities to specific entities. It directly affects nursing facilities seeking new owners who are private equity funds, majority-owned by such funds, affiliates of private equity funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), majority-owned by REITs, or REIT affiliates. The key mechanism requires DIAL to deny any ownership change request if the buyer fits one of these defined categories. The bill aims to prevent ownership shifts to these investment structures, though it does not ban all ownership changes. (3 sentences)
This bill establishes new requirements for physicians performing abortions in Iowa, specifically targeting chemical abortions using drugs like mifepristone or misoprostol. It mandates that physicians obtain a patient's signature on a U.S. FDA form, provide written confirmation about specific risks (including hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, and potential reversal), and advise on emergency surgical options before dispensing abortion-inducing drugs. The bill also requires the state health department to publish online information about reversing chemical abortions and defines "abortion-inducing drug complications" to include issues like infection or retained tissue. These provisions directly affect physicians who perform abortions and pregnant women seeking chemical abortion services.
This bill establishes Iowa's Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Program, creating a state fund to reimburse veterans for specialized oxygen therapy (hyperbaric oxygen treatment) used to treat diagnosed traumatic brain injury or PTSD. It directly affects Iowa veterans with these conditions who receive treatment at approved facilities, ensuring they pay no costs for the therapy. The program requires veterans' service organizations to submit approved treatment plans detailing medical necessity and costs, with reimbursement coming from the new fund - financed through state appropriations and other designated sources - after health improvements are verified. The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs administers the program, tracks participation, and reports annually on its effectiveness.
This bill establishes the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, enabling psychologists licensed in one participating state to provide telepsychology services and up to 30 days of in-person care annually in other participating states without needing separate licenses. It creates standardized rules for temporary cross-state practice, requires states to share license and disciplinary information, and ensures psychologists remain accountable under each state’s regulations. The compact directly affects licensed psychologists seeking to serve clients across state lines and their clients in participating states. It does not apply to permanent practice or psychologists already licensed in both states.
HF 2280 expands Iowa's $250 individual income tax credit for emergency medical services personnel to include non-certified first responders who meet specific qualifications. The bill requires the Department of Revenue to establish rules defining these qualifications under Chapter 17A. It also applies the credit retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, covering past tax filings. This change directly affects emergency medical personnel who currently lack certification but perform first responder duties.
This bill modifies Iowa's subacute mental health care regulations. It requires facilities to create a resident's initial treatment plan within 24 hours of admission (replacing a prior 10-day limit), and sets strict timelines for insurance approval: 48 hours for urgent requests, 5 days for standard non-urgent requests, and 10 days for complex cases. It directs health and licensing departments to eliminate rules hindering facility expansion or access, and to ease staffing requirements for subacute facilities compared to state mental health institutes. The changes apply immediately upon enactment.
