Healthcare

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

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signed · Iowa · Senate May 19, 2026

SF 304: A bill for an act providing an exception to a minor’s legal capacity to consent to the provision of medical care or services for a sexually transmitted disease or infection.

Senate File 304 amends existing law concerning a minor's ability to consent to medical care related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Currently, minors can independently consent to medical care or services for the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of STDs. This bill introduces a specific exception to that provision. Under SF 304, a minor will no longer have the legal capacity to consent to the provision of a vaccination for a sexually transmitted disease or infection without the consent of another person, such as a parent or guardian.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill restricts minors' independent consent for STD vaccinations, limiting access to a specific healthcare service under current law.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 11, 2025

SF 383: A bill for an act relating to pharmacy benefits managers, pharmacies, prescription drugs, and pharmacy services administrative organizations, and including applicability provisions.

SF 383 requires pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to disclose drug pricing details and standardized fee structures to pharmacies and insurers. It limits certain PBM practices that affect prescription drug costs and establishes transparency rules for pharmacy services administrative organizations. The law directly affects PBMs, pharmacies, and insurance companies managing prescription drug benefits. Signed into law by the Governor on June 6, 2025, it aims to increase transparency in drug pricing and pharmacy billing.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires PBMs to disclose pricing transparency, reducing drug costs and improving patient access to medications.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 232: A bill for an act relating to credit for accrued sick leave of public safety employees.

This bill allows retired public safety employees in Iowa to convert all their unused sick leave into cash value (at 100% of current worth) to help pay for their health insurance premiums. It also extends this benefit to surviving spouses or dependents after a retired employee's death, using the remaining value for their health insurance costs. The policy applies to all retired public safety employees (as defined in state law) who have applied for retirement benefits, but excludes those covered by collective bargaining agreements that already provide employer-paid retirement health savings. The bill directly affects retired public safety workers and their families by providing financial support for ongoing health coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables retired public safety employees to use converted sick leave cash to pay health insurance premiums, directly supporting healthcare affordability and access for beneficiaries.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands health insurance benefit for retired public safety employees by converting unused sick leave to cash, directly enhancing employment-related benefits for a specific workforce group.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Paid Leave Public Employees

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 219: A bill for an act relating to the duties of insurers under medical malpractice insurance policies.

HF 219 requires health insurance companies covering medical malpractice claims to negotiate settlement offers within policy limits in good faith. If an insurer refuses a claimant's settlement offer at or below the policy limit and the case results in a judgment exceeding that limit, the insurer must pay the full judgment amount. This directly affects health care providers (insureds) and their insurers, giving providers a legal claim against insurers for failing to negotiate within policy limits. The bill shifts liability to insurers for excess judgments when they unreasonably reject reasonable settlement offers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to negotiate malpractice settlements in good faith, protecting healthcare providers from financial loss due to insurer bad faith, strengthening provider rights within healthcare insurance framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2025

HSB 19: A bill for an act relating to prior authorizations and exemptions by health benefit plans and utilization review organizations.

This bill (HSB 19) requires health plans and review organizations to set strict timelines for processing prior authorization requests: 48 hours for urgent cases and 10 days for non-urgent cases (up to 15 days for complex situations). It also mandates annual reviews to eliminate unnecessary prior authorizations for services routinely approved, ensuring such requirements justify administrative costs. Health plans must implement a pilot program by 2026 exempting qualifying primary care providers from certain authorizations, with details published online about eligibility and covered services. Plans must report annual results, including cost analyses and provider feedback, to the insurance commissioner by 2027. The bill directly affects health plans, providers, and patients by streamlining authorization processes and increasing transparency.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates faster prior authorization processing (48h/10d) and eliminates unnecessary requirements, improving patient access to care and reducing administrative barriers in health insurance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 11, 2025

SF 202: A bill for an act relating to ensuring the provision of accessible prescription-related measures for persons who are blind, have a visual impairment, or otherwise have print disabilities.

SF 202 requires Iowa's pharmacy board to adopt rules by October 31, 2025, ensuring people who are blind, visually impaired, or have print disabilities receive accessible prescription labels, bag tags, and medical guides at no extra cost. These materials must be provided in fully accessible formats (like audio) within the same timeframe as standard labels for other patients. The rules must align with federal accessibility guidelines from a 2016 government report and include public notice about available formats. The board must report progress, recommendations, and projected costs for implementing these changes to Iowa's governor and legislature by January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires accessible prescription materials for disabled patients, improving healthcare access without extra cost per federal guidelines.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 11, 2025

SF 232: A bill for an act relating to the double up food bucks program, and making an appropriation.

SF 232 appropriates $1 million from Iowa's general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the Double Up Food Bucks program. This funding will be granted to the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative to expand access to fresh produce for eligible residents. The program directly helps Iowa households receiving federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by providing matching funds to buy fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. The bill enables continued operation of this specific nutrition assistance mechanism without altering SNAP eligibility or benefits.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $1M from general fund for Double Up Food Bucks program, directly funding SNAP food assistance expansion under health/human services appropriations.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds Double Up Food Bucks program under Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, expanding access to fresh produce for SNAP recipients via health-focused nutrition assistance, directly advancing public health outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2025

HF 338: A bill for an act relating to the administration of local anesthesia by dental assistants.

HF 338 removes a prohibition in Iowa law that previously prevented the dental board from creating rules allowing registered dental assistants to administer local anesthesia. The bill directly affects dental assistants who complete required training and the Iowa dental board, which would now have the authority to establish rules for this expanded practice. Key provisions eliminate the specific language blocking the board from delegating local anesthesia administration, though it does not automatically grant this authority - it requires the board to adopt new rules first. The bill is currently pending in the Health and Human Services committee after introduction on February 12, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves prohibition on dental assistants administering local anesthesia, expanding access to dental services within healthcare90% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2025

HF 351: A bill for an act removing psilocybin and psilocyn from the list of substances classified as schedule I controlled substances under Iowa’s uniform controlled substances Act.

HF 351 removes psilocybin and psilocin from Iowa's Schedule I controlled substances list under the state's Uniform Controlled Substances Act. This change would reclassify these substances, meaning they would no longer be legally classified as having "high potential for abuse" with "no accepted medical use" under Iowa law. The bill directly affects individuals in Iowa who currently face legal restrictions related to these substances, including potential users and researchers. The key mechanism is amending the statute to delete psilocybin and psilocin from the Schedule I listing, altering their legal status without specifying a new classification. This is a direct policy change to the state's drug scheduling framework.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves legal barriers for psilocybin research, enabling potential mental health treatment development under healthcare policy.85% confidence

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