Legislative Update – WEEK 4

2/4/2021. –  IMHCA Week 4 

Bill of the week

      1. SF 178/HF 372-Non-Medical Switching: Support

        1. The bill provides that during a covered person’s eligibility under a health benefit plan inclusive of any open enrollment periods, a health plan carrier, health benefit plan, or utilization review organization shall not limit or exclude coverage of a prescription drug for the covered person if the covered person is medically stable on the drugs 

Need to know

      1. HF 294-Telehealth: 

        1. Reimbursement with telehealth at the same rate and on the same basis as would be in the office

Bills to watch/new bills

  • HSB 169/SSB1164-Medicaid Program and Oversight: Support
    • The bill directs the DHS to require that a MCO organization process and pay participating provider claims for each district provider type in accordance with the following: 
      • 90% of clean claims shall be accurately paid or denied within 14 calendar day, 95% of clean claims shall be accurately paid or denied within 21 calendar days and 100% of clean claims shall be accurately paid or denied within 30 calendar days of receipt by the MCO
    • https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=HSB%20169 
  • HSB 172-Non-certified Staff: Undecided
    • Non-licensed practitioners providing such services may include, in addition to noncertified staff with a bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech language pathology, those non licensed practitioners who hold a registered behavior technician certification from a nationally recognized accrediting body including but not limited to the behavior analyst certification board
      • Services include preventative services for early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment benefits
    • We are watching to make sure that it does not impact our license
    • https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=HSB%20172 
IMCHA Week 4 Bills & Rules Watch
Title Type Name
Non-Medical Switching & Continuity of Care-support* HF 372 A bill for an act relating to continuity of care and nonmedical switching by health carriers, health benefit plans, and utilization review organizations, and including applicability provisions.
Medicaid Program Processes & Oversight-Support* SSB 1164 A bill for an act relating to Medicaid program processes and oversight.
Non-certified staff-undecided* HSB 172 A bill for an act relating to the qualifications of noncertified staff providing early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment benefit services under the Medicaid program.
Medicaid Program & Oversight-support* HSB 169 A bill for an act relating to Medicaid program processes and oversight.
Public Assistance Program Oversight-oppose* SSB 1125 A bill for an act relating to public assistance program oversight.
Telehealth $ parity-support* Formerly HF 89; Fiscal Note: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/FN/1211014.pdf HF 294 A bill for an act relating to reimbursement rates for health care services for mental health conditions, illnesses, injuries, or diseases provided to covered persons by telehealth, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 89.)
Out-of-state Telehealth-undecided* Passed subcommittee on 2/3/21. HF 269 A bill for an act prohibiting certain health carriers from excluding certain out-of-state health care professionals from participating as providers, via telehealth, under the carriers’ policies, plans, and contracts, and including effective date and applicability provisions.
Non medical switching-support* SF 178 A bill for an act relating to continuity of care and nonmedical switching by health carriers, health benefit plans, and utilization review organizations, and including applicability provisions.
Continuing Education Requirements-support* Passed subcommittee on 2/4/21. SF 163 A bill for an act relating to continuing education requirements for persons holding certain professional and occupational licenses.
Reimbursement for SUD-undecided* Broadlawsn&IBHA supports HF 205 A bill for an act relating to reimbursement rates for providers of substance use disorder treatment services and behavioral health services.
Legalize Conversion Therapy-Against* HF 193 A bill for an act relating to actions relative to treatment or intervention regarding the discordance between a minor’s sex and gender identity, and providing civil penalties.
Bans Transgender bathrooms-Against* HF 187 A bill for an act relating to unfair practices involving access to areas of public accommodations or educational institutions.
Extension of License deadlines-support* HF 133 A bill for an act relating to the extension of deadlines for the completion of continuing education requirements.
Online Continuing Education-support* HF 132 A bill for an act relating to online continuing education courses for maintaining a professional license.
Gender Identity Hate Crimes-Undecided* HF 120 A bill for an act modifying the elements defining hate crimes, and providing penalties.
Medicaid waiver for SUD-support* HF 108 A bill for an act relating to a Medicaid demonstration waiver to support and improve the delivery of substance use disorder treatment services.
LMHC supervision-support* Passed subcommittee 1/26/21 will be amended! HF 107 A bill for an act relating to supervision requirements for licensed marital and family therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers, and including effective date provisions.
Telehealth $ parity-registered as support*; incomplete needs amendment SF 92 A bill for an act relating to reimbursement rates for health care services provided to covered persons by telehealth, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.
Operation of State Government- Passed subcommittee with amendments-Undecided* SSB 1046 A bill for an act relating to the operation of state government, including the review of state boards, the regulation of professions and occupations, and investigations conducted by state boards, and including effective date and applicability provisions.
Audio only telehealth-Broadlawns supports-support* Passed subcommittee 1/26/21 HF 88 A bill for an act relating to the provision of audio-only telehealth or telemedicine by health care professionals.
Bed Tracking-Undecided-no one has registered * HF 54 A bill for an act relating to the inpatient psychiatric bed tracking system.
Psychology interjurisdictional-undecided.-undecided* SF 78 A bill for an act adopting the psychology interjurisdictional compact.
Certificate of need-undecided. Broadlawns is undecided-undecided* SF 4 A bill for an act relating to the elimination of the certificate of need process relating to the development of a new or changed institutional health service.
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