Legislative Update – WEEK 6

2/18/2021

Week 6: IMHCA

  1. Bill of the week

SF 354- Continuing education requirements- extensions

  • Full Senate passed unanimously 2/17

  • Each licensing board may extend the deadline for completing continuing education requirements up to 90 days if the licensee if experiencing an unforeseen financial or medical hardship. Licensee must submit:

  • Request for unforeseen medical or financial hardship with an explanation
  • Proof of enrollment in a program to satisfy the CEU requirements. 
  • Submit request for extension no later than 60 days before due date.

  1. Need to know

SSB 1134 – felon voting rights constitutional amendment.

  • Proposes an amendment to the Iowa Constitution relating to the qualifications of electors.

  • A person who is convicted of a felony is not entitled to vote until that person discharges his or her sentence.

  • This removes the requirement for restoration by the Governor.

  1. Moving Bills

  • SSB 1125-Oppose- passed Senate Commerce committee 2/16 in spite of our opposition
    • Eligibility of Medicaid
      • Wants current eligibility
    • Would cost a lot of money for the state
  • HF372 – Support- Non-Medical Switching
    • HF 372 passed subcommittee 3-0 2/11
    • SF 178 companion (same) bill – died in Senate commerce sub 2/16
    • Moving this bill forward will be challenging in the Senate!
Bills & Rules Watch
Note Name Title
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.
Gender Identity Hate Crimes-Undecided* HF 120 A bill for an act modifying the elements defining hate crimes, and providing penalties.
Online Continuing Education-support* HF 132 A bill for an act relating to online continuing education courses for maintaining a professional license.
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.
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.
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.
Out-of-state Telehealth-undecided* Passed subcommittee on 2/3/21 & passed subcommittee 2/8/21. 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.
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.)
Non-Medical Switching & Continuity of Care-support* Subcommittee passage on 2/11 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.
Audio only telehealth-support*; passed House HF 431 A bill for an act relating to the provision of audio-only telehealth or telemedicine by health care professionals.(Formerly HF 88.)
Reimbursement for SUD. -undecided* HF 446 A bill for an act relating to substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health services and reimbursement, and including effective date provisions.
Evaluation of MCO’s-support* HF 447 A bill for an act relating to the evaluation of Medicaid-managed care long-term services and supports.
IMD Waiver-undecided* HF 479 A bill for an act relating to a Medicaid demonstration waiver to support and improve the delivery of mental health services through institutions for mental diseases.
Supervision for Therapists-supported* HF 485 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.(Formerly HF 107.)
Bed Tracking-Undecided-no one has registered * HF 54 A bill for an act relating to the inpatient psychiatric bed tracking system.
Medicaid Program & Oversight-support* HSB 169 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.
Occupational therapy licensure-undecided* HSB 201 A bill for an act establishing the occupational therapy licensure compact.
Continuing Education Requirements-support* Passed committee SF 163 A bill for an act relating to continuing education requirements for persons holding certain professional and occupational licenses.(See SF 354.)
Non medical switching-support* 2/15 indefinite post-ponement 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.
Transportation Services for disabled-support* SF 293 A bill for an act including transportation services as a core service domain under the regional mental health and disability services system.
Public Assistance Program Oversight – oppose* SF 389 A bill for an act relating to public assistance program oversight.(Formerly SSB 1125.)
mental health in schools – undecided* SF 398 A bill for an act relating to a mental health service providers competitive grant program for school districts and area education agencies, making an appropriation, and including effective date provisions.
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.
Psychology interjurisdictional-undecided.-undecided* SF 78 A bill for an act adopting the psychology interjurisdictional compact.
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 on 2/3-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.
Felon voting rights – Support* SSB 1134 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the qualifications of electors.
Apprenticeship-undecided* subcommittee recommended passage 2/11/21 SSB 1149 A bill for an act relating to the licensure of persons completing an apprenticeship, and including effective date provisions.
Medicaid Program Processes & Oversight-Support* Passed subcommittee 2/15 SSB 1164 A bill for an act relating to Medicaid program processes and oversight.
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