HSB 19/ HF 232 - Department of Corrections
Currently, the Department of Corrections nurses must contact a doctor to declare deaths that occur in prisons. The bill would allow the Department of Corrections’ nurses and physician assistants to declare the death of an offender, if the death was anticipated in a prison hospice program.
HF 50 / HF 234 – Mental Health Advocate Reports
Current law requires mental health advocates to file quarterly reports with the court. The bill amends the current law to require a mental health advocate to file reports only when the advocate feels a report is necessary. The Court can request a report to be filed by the advocate at any time.
HF 143 – Prohibition of Indoor Tanning Under Age 17
The bill prohibits indoor tanning for people under the age of 17. A person who violates the bill is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 and an injunction restraining any violation.
HSB 38 / HF 305 – Dispensing of Biological Products
This bill relates to drug product selection. This bill allows pharmacists to use their professional judgment to distribute an interchangeable biological product when a doctor prescribes a biological product. The purpose of this would be to save on drug costs. The pharmacist can’t dispense an interchangeable biologic if the doctor indicates that they need to dispense as written. If the pharmacist does prescribe an interchangeable, within five days they have to make an entry into the patient’s electronic health record and the doctor must be notified.
HSB 26 /HF 233 – Step Therapy
This bill relates to step therapy insurance protocols. The bill allows a doctor to bypass the step therapy protocols in certain situations. A request of an override exception will be approved by the insurance company if any of the circumstances apply:
The drug required under step therapy is contraindicated or is likely to cause an adverse reaction
The drug required under step therapy is expected to be ineffective based on known clinical characteristics.
The patient has tried the drug required under step therapy while under a previous insurance plan or another drug of the same pharmacologic class, or same mechanism of action.
The drug required under step therapy is not in the best interest of the patient based on medical necessity.
The patient is currently stable on a prescription drug selected by the doctor while on current or previous insurance plan.
The insurer upon making a determination to approve an override shall expeditiously authorize coverage.
HSB 72 /HF 306 – Nurse Aide Training
This bill requires DHS to adopt rules to provide policies and procedures governing the Department of Inspections and Appeals as the designated department to approve nurse aide training and testing programs. The programs must allow utilization of online courses to meet the minimum of 30 hours of classroom instruction.
HSB 81 /HF 396 – Child Foster Care
Current law excludes a relative from providing child foster care. When a child is placed with a relative who is a licensed foster parent their stay is not recognized as foster care. The bill would allow this to be considered foster care.The bill also clarifies that care provided by a relative for more than 20 days when DHS doesn’t have supervision of the child is not foster care.
HSB 98 /HF 394 – Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact
In 2000, Iowa adopted the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The Nurse Licensure Compact is an agreement that allows mutual recognition of a nursing license between member states. The NLC allows member states to allow a nurse that resides in and possesses a current nursing license in a member state to practice in any of the other member states without obtaining additional licensure. This bill is an updated (enhanced) version of the NLC. It is similar to the first compact but with a few changes. 10 states have adopted the enhanced NLC with another 20 states moving towards adoption. 25 states must adopt the NLC before it is enacted.