SSB 3036 – Oral Contraceptive Prescriptions
SSB 3066 – Alzheimer’s Awareness
SSB 3072 – Iowa Department of Public Health Modernization
SSB 3073 – Meningococcal Immunization
SSB 3081 – Terminate Managed Care Contracts
SSB 3109 – Children’s Mental Health and Well Being
SF 2032 – Mental Health Records
SF 2049 – Speech Therapy Benefits
SF 2075 – Psychologist Prescribing
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SSB 3036 directs the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide the prescribing and dispensing of up to a 12-month supply of oral contraceptives at one time as a covered Medicaid benefit. The choice of getting a 12-month supply versus a 90-day supply is up to the patient. Providing a 12-month supply eliminates access barriers and better prevents unintended pregnancies.
[2/10: short form (Chelgren, Costello, Garrett, Johnson no)]
SSB 3066 provides a grant for the public purpose of developing and implementing an Alzheimer’s public awareness campaign. It appropriates $100,000 for the grant and allows a sole source contract to an Iowa chapter of a national nonprofit organization.
[2/8: short form (Costello, Garrett, Johnson no; Chelgren excused)]
SSB 3072 is the Iowa Department of Public Health Modernization bill. It allows for the modernization of public boards of health. It removes Code language that has become outdated, eliminates a council, retains the fund that counties use to make quality improvements and makes updates. It also removes references to Iowa Public Health Standards. It allows more flexibility in local decision making, including allowing the local boards to make their own decision about getting accredited. It lays out a process for voluntarily merging local boards of health into district boards.
[2/10: short form]
SSB 3073 requires students enrolling in 7th grade and 12th grade to be immunized against meningococcal disease in accordance with standards established by the U.S. Public Health Service. Medical and religious exemptions apply.
[2/8: short form (Costello no; Chelgren excused)]
SSB 3081 requires the immediate termination of all three managed care organization (MCO) contracts. It directs Iowa Medicaid to return to public management with a focus on outcomes-based, patient-centered care.
[2/8: Allen, Bolkcom, Dotzler, Jochum, Mathis, Ragan, Taylor, Wilhelm, Johnson yes; Costello, Garrett, Segebart no; Chelgren excused]
SSB 3109 implements the recommendations of the Children’s Mental Health & Wellbeing workgroup established in last year’s Health & Human Services appropriation bill, SF 505. The bill establishes children’s mental health crisis services planning grants with a $300,000 appropriation. DHS is required to study and collect data on emerging, collaborative efforts to address the wellbeing of children. It also establishes a process for selecting three to five Children’s Wellbeing Learning Labs. It directs DHS to work with the Mental Health & Disability Services Commission, Iowa Department of Public Health and Mental Health Planning Commission to develop children’s mental health crisis services. It also calls for the continuation of a Children’s Mental Health & Wellbeing Advisory Committee comprised of members of the 2015 workgroup.
[2/10: short form]
SF 2032 allows sharing of mental health information for coordinated, integrated healthcare, if not otherwise restricted by federal law or regulation. Currently, sharing of mental health information, such as prescriptions or diagnoses, is prohibited, which limits integrated care.
[2/8: short form (Chelgren excused)]
SF 2049 requires that the Hawk-I covered speech therapy benefit under Medicaid Managed Care provide for coverage of both habilitative and rehabilitative services that are appropriate for children. It prohibits the determination of a service as medically necessary from being interpreted to require loss of impairment as the result of a stroke, accidental injury or surgery to the head or neck as a prerequisite to coverage of services.
[2/8: short form (Chelgren excused)]
SF 2075 allows certain psychologists that have received specialized additional training to have prescription-writing authority. It sets a one-year period for the psychologist to have a conditional prescribing certificate and be under the supervision of a physician.
[2/10: short form]