Healthcare (Substance Abuse) in Iowa

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SF 405: A bill for an act regarding restrictions on alcoholic beverage sales, including a voluntary exclusion program.

SF 405 creates a voluntary program allowing individuals to exclude themselves from purchasing alcohol at retail stores. People can request exclusion for 5 years or life, and stores must check an electronic list (with names and Social Security numbers) kept confidential, except when required by court order. The bill requires stores to provide information about substance use disorder treatment programs to anyone who requests exclusion, and protects stores and the state from liability if they follow the process. This directly affects individuals seeking to limit their alcohol access and retailers who sell alcohol.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 25, 2025

HF 584: A bill for an act relating to the opioid settlement fund, establishing the opioid epidemic response advisory council, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

HF 584 establishes Iowa's Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council to develop statewide strategies for addressing the opioid crisis. The council, composed of 11 appointed members representing health providers, treatment programs, courts, and local health departments, will focus on prevention, treatment access, recovery services, and overdose prevention - particularly expanding naloxone availability. It will review existing initiatives, set priorities, recommend specific projects for funding from the opioid settlement fund (capping grants at $500,000 each), and ensure funds align with other state and federal efforts. The council must report annually to the legislature by January 31 on funded projects and progress toward measurable goals like reducing overdoses and improving treatment access. This bill directly affects Iowans impacted by opioid use disorder and guides how settlement funds are allocated to combat the epidemic.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Iowa · Senate May 6, 2025

SSB 1237: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the department of veterans affairs and the department of health and human services, and related provisions and appropriations, including aging and disability services; behavioral health, public health, community access and eligibility; the medical assistance program, state supplementary assistance, Hawki, and other health-related programs; family well-being and protection; state-operated specialty care; administration and compliance; transfers, cash flows, and nonreversions; prior appropriations; the beer and liquor control fund, and the behavioral health fund; report on nonreversion of moneys; emergency rules; more options for maternal support program; and a hospital directed payment program; and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

SSB 1237 is an appropriations bill that allocates state funds for the fiscal year 2025-2026 to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services. It provides funding for veteran services, including the Iowa Veterans Home and a home ownership assistance program, directly benefiting veterans and their families. The bill also supports aging and disability services, behavioral health programs for addiction prevention and treatment, and various public health initiatives, impacting seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those seeking health services. Key provisions include funding for a maternal support program and a hospital directed payment program, with some moneys drawn from specific funds like the sports wagering receipts fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Hospitals Substance Abuse Veteran Benefits

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 20, 2025

HF 326: A bill for an act establishing a veterans recovery pilot program and fund for the reimbursement of expenses related to providing hyperbaric oxygen treatment to eligible veterans and making appropriations.

HF 326 establishes a pilot program in Iowa to provide hyperbaric oxygen treatment (for diabetic foot ulcers, traumatic brain injury, or PTSD) to eligible veterans through a dedicated reimbursement fund. It directly affects veterans diagnosed with PTSD or traumatic brain injury who require this treatment, as well as authorized treatment facilities. The bill creates a Veterans Recovery Fund to reimburse facilities for treatment costs and related travel/living expenses after a treatment plan is approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Facilities must submit proposed treatment plans for approval before providing care, and veterans cannot be charged for services under the program. The program requires biennial reports to the legislature evaluating participation and effectiveness.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

in committee · Iowa · House May 5, 2025

HSB 331: A bill for an act relating to the opioid settlement fund, creating an opioid reserve account, requiring a report to the general assembly, and making appropriations.

HSB 331 establishes an opioid settlement fund and an opioid reserve account to manage money received from national opioid litigation settlements. The bill appropriates specific amounts from this fund to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal years 2025-2028. These funds are distributed to administrative services organizations (ASOs) to facilitate crisis response, early intervention, treatment, and recovery services for opioid addiction within behavioral health districts. An evaluation panel reviews proposals from ASOs, prioritizing evidence-based practices, and the bill also allocates funds for statewide prevention initiatives and increasing service capacity. Additionally, HHS is required to submit annual reports to the general assembly on fund disbursements and program evaluations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 28, 2025

HSB 190: A bill for an act relating to the recovery of overpayment of a claim by a dental carrier.

This bill establishes rules for dental insurance companies (dental carriers) recovering overpayments made to dentists or dental practices (dental care providers). It requires carriers to provide written notice of overpayments within 365 days of payment, including details of the error, and to create clear appeal processes allowing providers 90 days to dispute the recovery. Carriers may recover overpayments by withholding payments on future claims but must give immediate written notice identifying the original overpayment and affected claims. The bill prohibits contracts from bypassing these rules, making any such agreement invalid.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 28, 2025

HF 487: A bill for an act relating to drug paraphernalia and drug-checking equipment.

HF 487 modifies Iowa's drug paraphernalia laws to exempt specific harm reduction tools from criminal penalties. It explicitly excludes fentanyl/xylazine test strips, drug-checking equipment, and materials used by authorized harm reduction organizations (like public health departments) from the definition of "drug paraphernalia." The bill protects individuals from arrest, housing loss, or other penalties when using these tools for testing substances, and prohibits using drug-checking results as evidence in court. It also permits state opioid settlement funds to support these activities, directly affecting people who use substance-checking services and harm reduction programs.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Substance Abuse

died · Iowa · House Mar 19, 2025

HF 874: A bill for an act relating to prior authorization for dental care services, notice to dental care providers that a dental care service plan is state-regulated, and the recovery of overpayments by a dental carrier.

HF 874 requires dental insurance companies (dental carriers) to honor prior authorizations for covered dental services, meaning they must reimburse providers at the agreed rate if services were pre-approved. It mandates that dental carriers notify providers when a patient’s plan is state-regulated (via online portal and ID cards starting July 2025). The bill also sets strict rules for recovering overpayments: carriers must provide written notice of errors within 365 days and allow providers a 90-day appeal period. These provisions directly affect dental providers, insurance companies, and patients covered under state-regulated dental plans.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Iowa · House Apr 3, 2025

HF 637: A bill for an act relating to the recovery of overpayment of a claim by a dental carrier.

HF 637 establishes rules for dental carriers to recover overpayments made to dental providers. It requires carriers to provide written notice of overpayments within 365 days of payment, including details of the error, and to create clear appeal processes allowing providers 90 days to dispute recovery attempts. Carriers may recover overpayments by withholding or reducing future payments, but must give providers written notice within 28 days of the action, detailing the original overpayment and affected payment. The bill prohibits carriers from bypassing these rules through contracts, ensuring providers have formal processes to challenge disputed overpayments.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Iowa · Senate Apr 15, 2025

SSB 1226: A bill for an act relating to the opioid settlement fund, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill establishes rules for using Iowa's opioid settlement fund. It requires 75% of unencumbered funds to go to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and 25% to the Attorney General's office annually, with both agencies submitting appropriation requests based on input from behavioral health councils. The bill appropriates $12 million for grants to specific nonprofits in cities of 24,500-25,000 population (2020 census) to expand nature-based recovery campuses for co-occurring mental health/substance use treatment, and $30 million for broader opioid crisis abatement efforts. Both agencies must report yearly on fund disbursements and impacts, and all funding must be labeled as a "one-time allocation from the opioid settlement fund" on related materials.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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