Healthcare

passed · Iowa · House May 1, 2026

HF 978: A bill for an act relating to the production and administration of psilocybin, and providing penalties.

HF 978 establishes a regulatory framework for the production and administration of psilocybin in Iowa. It permits the recommendation, possession, use, and dispensing of psilocybin by registered "qualified medical psilocybin providers" and "qualified therapy providers" for patients. The bill defines various roles, facilities like cultivation and testing laboratories, and the process of psilocybin administration. It mandates that psilocybin production establishments and therapy providers maintain a real-time, video-monitored inventory control system to track psilocybin products. The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for registering providers and adopting rules to implement these systems.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes regulatory framework for psilocybin therapy in mental health treatment, expanding access to PTSD care under healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 27, 2026

HF 2292: A bill for an act directing the department of health and human services to increase the number of inpatient psychiatric beds at each state mental health institute.

HF 2292 mandates Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to double the number of inpatient psychiatric beds at each state mental health institute by 2028. The bill requires applying for a federal Medicaid waiver by July 2027 to fund this expansion, using the 2025 bed count as the baseline. It directly affects homeless individuals with mental health conditions or substance use disorders, as cited in the bill's findings linking untreated mental health to public safety concerns. The key mechanism is the Medicaid waiver process, which would allow state-funded bed increases beyond current federal restrictions. This policy change aims to expand institutional treatment capacity without specifying outcomes or advocating for particular approaches.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates doubling psychiatric beds, requires Medicaid waiver funding, directly expands mental health services for vulnerable populations per bill's findings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 26, 2026

HF 2641: A bill for an act relating to the Medicaid home and community-based services elderly waiver program, including transition planning and assisted living services.

HF 2641 updates Iowa's Medicaid program for elderly care by enabling smoother transitions from nursing facilities to community-based services. It requires the Department of Health to create rules allowing case managers to start planning with nursing home residents (65+ years) and their families *before* discharge, focusing on eligibility for home-based care. The bill also defines "assisted living services" as personal care in non-institutional settings with 24-hour on-site response, while prohibiting double-billing for services already covered under other Medicaid agreements. These changes directly affect Iowa seniors in nursing facilities seeking to move to community living and the providers offering their care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicaid access for elderly by enabling community-based transitions from nursing homes, defining assisted living services to improve care options, directly advancing healthcare access and patient-centered care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 26, 2026

HF 385: A bill for an act relating to discharge of involuntarily committed persons from a facility or a hospital.

HF 385 requires hospitals and facilities treating involuntarily committed mental health patients in Iowa to implement specific discharge protocols. Before releasing a patient, facilities must refer them to an administrative services organization, assess suicide risk, provide a 15-day supply of prescribed medications (with reimbursement options if not covered), and create a detailed discharge report including care plans, medication lists, and appointment details. This bill directly affects hospitals, patients under involuntary commitment, and administrative services organizations responsible for coordinating post-discharge care. The law also mandates quarterly reports from these organizations to the state department and requires facilities to notify courts of discharges for confirmation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates mental health discharge protocols including suicide risk assessment, medication continuity, and care planning, directly strengthening patient safety and access to follow-up care in mental health services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 18, 2026

HF 2649: A bill for an act establishing a pilot program that authorizes eligible community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees.

HF 2649, the "REACH Act," creates a pilot program allowing eligible Iowa community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in specific high-demand fields like nursing, IT, and education. To qualify, colleges must be at least 50 miles from existing bachelor's programs and limit offerings to three degrees per institution, with upper-level courses taught on campus (not online). The bill requires annual reporting on enrollment, student outcomes, and workforce alignment to the state education department and legislature. It directly affects community colleges in rural or underserved areas seeking to expand local higher education options without replacing university programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands access to bachelor's degrees in high-demand fields through community colleges, aligning with workforce needs and increasing educational opportunities.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables community colleges to offer nursing degrees (a healthcare field), expanding workforce pipeline for healthcare services.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates workforce-aligned degree pathways in high-demand fields (nursing, IT, education), directly advancing employment standards through education-to-career pipeline development.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly authorizes community colleges to offer IT bachelor's degrees as a high-demand field, directly advancing technology workforce development through education.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 12, 2026

HF 2518: A bill for an act relating to the department of health and human services and reporting requirements for shelter care, residential treatment, and Medicaid provider reimbursement rates, and establishing provider reimbursement rates for Medicaid home and community-based waiver services.

HF 2518 requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to establish new processes for reviewing and adjusting Medicaid reimbursement rates for specific providers. It mandates biennial reviews of shelter care and residential treatment costs against current rates (reporting by October 1), annual comparisons of medical service rates to Medicare (non-dental) or neighboring states' Medicaid (dental) (reporting by January 15), and four-year updates to home and community-based waiver service rates using provider cost data. Providers must submit annual cost and supply data by July 1, which the department uses to develop cost-based reimbursement systems. The bill ensures regular rate adjustments based on actual costs and market data, with detailed fiscal impact reports submitted to lawmakers before implementing new rates.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates biennial reviews of Medicaid rates against Medicare/neighboring states, ensuring fair provider payments and preventing underfunding of healthcare services.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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vetoed · Iowa · House Jun 11, 2025

HF 383: A bill for an act relating to the controlled substance crystalline polymorph psilocybin.

HF 383 would remove the pharmaceutical form of psilocybin (specifically crystalline polymorph COMP 360) from Iowa's Schedule I controlled substances list once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves it and reschedules it under federal law. This would allow doctors to legally prescribe, distribute, and market COMP 360 for medical use, directly affecting healthcare providers and patients seeking this treatment. The bill automatically aligns Iowa law with federal FDA decisions on this specific pharmaceutical formulation. Note: The bill was vetoed by the governor on June 11, 2025, so it has not become law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables medical prescription of psilocybin treatment, expanding patient access to novel healthcare option once FDA-approved.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · Iowa · House Jun 11, 2025

HF 330: A bill for an act relating to insurance coverage for covered individuals for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder and including applicability provisions.

HF 330 requires health insurance plans to cover evidence-based treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for individuals diagnosed with ASD. It directly affects people with ASD who have health insurance, mandating that insurers provide this coverage without excessive cost-sharing. The bill establishes specific requirements for insurance companies to include ASD treatment services in their coverage, applying to most health insurance plans. This law, signed by the Governor on June 11, 2025, ensures that individuals with ASD can access necessary treatment through their insurance.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for autism treatment, expanding health services access without excessive cost-sharing for ASD patients.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 6, 2025

SF 288: A bill for an act relating to students who are pregnant or who recently gave birth who attend state institutions of higher education governed by the board of regents and community colleges.

SF 288 requires public colleges and universities governed by the Board of Regents and community colleges to provide academic accommodations for students who are pregnant or who recently gave birth. The law specifically allows these students to withdraw from courses without academic penalty if pregnancy or childbirth prevents them from continuing their studies. Institutions must also provide clear information about available support services, including health care and childcare resources. This policy directly affects pregnant and postpartum students enrolled at these specific public higher education institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates academic accommodations and support services for pregnant/students, directly enhancing educational access and equity in higher education institutions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates institutions to provide health care resource information, improving student access to health services for pregnancy-related needs.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Iowa · House May 28, 2025

HF 310: A bill for an act relating to assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations including a health care provider, and making penalties applicable.

HF 310 strengthens penalties for assaults targeting specific professionals, including healthcare providers. The bill makes existing assault penalties applicable when attacks occur against individuals working in certain occupations, such as healthcare. It directly affects individuals in these professions by ensuring assaults against them face the same legal consequences as other violent crimes. The key provision clarifies that penalties for assaulting these workers will be enforced without additional modifications to existing law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects healthcare providers from assault by strengthening penalties, ensuring safer working conditions for medical professionals in the healthcare system.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare