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.
HF 61 requires health care providers to publicly list prices for their 25 most common services (with coding and plain-language descriptions) online, updated annually. Hospitals must list prices for 75 most common inpatient and 75 outpatient services (using Medicare grouping) online, updated quarterly. All disclosed prices must include a disclaimer stating they are estimates, not binding charges, and actual costs may vary. The bill directs Iowa's department to align these requirements with existing federal price transparency rules under the Affordable Care Act.
SF 129 requires Iowa hospitals to submit specific policies to the state department by September 1, 2025. Hospitals must submit policies on nondiscrimination, reproductive health care (including abortion, miscarriage care, and family planning), and, if they provide labor services, policies on recommended safety practices for childbirth. The state department must post all submitted policies online with a public comparison tool, and hospitals must also display these policies on their own websites without login requirements. Hospitals must submit updated policies within 30 days if they make changes to any required policy.
HF 224 eliminates Iowa's certificate of need (CON) requirements and dissolves the state health facilities council. This bill removes the mandatory approval process needed for health care facilities (like hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes) to build new locations or expand services. Under current law, providers had to seek approval from the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) and the council; the bill repeals all related statutes, including sections governing CON applications. This change directly affects health care providers by reducing regulatory barriers for facility development and expansion.
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.
HF 443 requires health insurance plans in Iowa to cover assertive community treatment services for dependents who receive care from providers enrolled in the state's medical assistance program (chapter 249A). This applies to most individual and group health insurance plans, including hospital and medical service contracts, effective January 1, 2026. The bill does not cover specialized insurance like dental, vision, workers' compensation, or short-term medical plans. It mandates coverage for these specific mental health services to ensure dependents have access to community-based treatment through state-qualified providers. The Iowa Insurance Commissioner may create rules to implement this requirement.
HF 409 prohibits hospitals and health care licensing boards in Iowa from asking applicants about past mental illness, substance use disorders, or other behavioral health diagnoses on clinical privilege or license applications. It allows questions only about current, untreated conditions that could impair safe, professional practice. The bill directly affects health care professionals applying for hospital clinical privileges or state licenses. It requires the state department to create rules enforcing these changes, focusing on current safety concerns rather than historical health conditions. The bill is currently under review by the House Health and Human Services subcommittee.
HF 606 requires health insurance plans (including individual/group accident/sickness, hospital/medical, HMOs, and public employee plans) to provide a special enrollment period for pregnant women. This allows pregnant women to enroll in coverage at any time after a healthcare professional certifies their pregnancy, without fees or penalties. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month when pregnancy is certified (or the next month if chosen by the woman). The bill applies to most health insurance policies delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes accident-only, Medicare supplement, dental, vision, and similar coverage types.
HF 708 establishes clear guidelines for making healthcare decisions when patients cannot communicate, specifically for those with terminal conditions or serious illnesses. It defines key terms like "attorney in fact" (a health care agent), "close adult friend" (a designated trusted person meeting specific criteria), and clarifies hospice/palliative care eligibility. The bill creates a priority order for decision-makers: first a designated health care agent, then family members (spouse, children, parents), and finally a close adult friend, all guided by the patient’s known wishes. This focuses on ensuring patient autonomy and providing a structured process for care decisions without adding new services or altering hospice program requirements.
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.
