April 27, 2024

Sine Die!

In the early morning hours last Saturday, April 20, the Iowa legislature adjourned Sine Die, officially closing the 2024 legislative regular session. Budget bills were the focus on the last week of session. The legislature worked late in to the night on Thursday evening/Friday morning to wrap up those major pieces of legislation. IMS is thrilled to report that as part of those final packages, an additional $125 thousand ($2.64 million total) in funding was secured for the Iowa Rural Primary Care Loan Repayment program – moving us one step closer towards closing the gap towards fully funding the program and a great stepping stone for next year’s advocacy!

With the legislature now adjourned, the Governor has 30 days to sign or veto all remaining bills that have passed the legislature.

IMS Priorities and Key Legislation

Key Issue	Bill #	Bill Title/Description	IMS Position	Status
Increase Physician Workforce	SF 2435	Senate Education Appropriations Bill – $125k rural primary care physician repayment program funding	Undecided	Passed
	HF 2698	House & Senate HHS Budgets – Rural Healthcare Workforce Initiative funding; psych residency and fellowship funding	Undecided	Passed
	SF 477	Licensure of internationally trained physicians	Support	Passed!
	HF 2210	Mental and behavioral health stigma in physician licensing and credentialing	Support	Dead
Key Issue	Bill #	Bill Title/Description	IMS Position	Status
Reform Prior Authorization	HF 2488	Prior authorization modernization and exemptions program	Support – IMS Lead	Intentionally Held – Will Re-file 2025
Key Issue	Bill #	Bill Title/Description	IMS Position	Status
Strengthen Medicaid	SF 2251	Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension to 12 Months	Support	Passed!
	HF 2565	Relating to provision of Medicaid coverage and services to certain inmates under the Medicaid program (1115 Waiver)	Support	Dead
	HF 2268	Limitations on activities related to paid claims under the Medicaid program, and including effective date provisions.	Support	Dead
Key Issue	Bill #	Bill Title/Description	IMS Position	Status
Expand Access to Care	HF 2673	HHS Behavioral Health and Disabilities Services System Redesign	Undecided	Passed
	HF 2668	Insurance coverage for biomarker testing (includes Medicaid and HAWK-I)	Undecided	Passed
	HF 626	Non-medical switching	Support	Passed
	HF 2584	Relating to self-administered hormonal contraceptives - BTC BC	Support	Dead
	HF 2518	Relating to the survival of, and the bringing of a cause of action for, wrongful death of an unborn child.	Oppose	Dead
	SF 2395	Opioid Settlement Fund Appropriations	Undecided	Dead
Key Issue	Bill #	Bill Title	IMS Position	Status
Protect Scope of Practice	SF 2385	Boards & Commissions Review Recommendations	Undecided	Passed
Protect Scope of Practice	HF 2402	Psychiatric Medical Institutions	Undecided	Passed
Topic	Bill #	Bill Title/Description	IMS Position	Status
Healthcare Expense/Transparency	SF 2381	Relating to certain cost controls for health care services – “Patient Right to Save”/”Cash4Care”	Against	Dead
CON	SF 506	Relating to health facilities and health services, including licensing and the certificate of need process	Undecided	Dead
ASC/CON	SF 2160	Amended ASC definition and CON exclusions for cosmetic/plastic surgery services	Support	Passed & Signed
Workplace Violence	HF 2302	Assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations including a health care provider, and making penalties applicable.	Support	Dead
Health Care Conscientious Objections/Refusals	SF 2286	Protections for health care institutions, payors, and medical practitioners including exercise of a right of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech	Undecided	Dead
Health Information	HF 2623	Iowa health information network including functioning as the state-designated health data utility – CyncHealth/IHIN	Opposed	Dead
Blood Banks/Care Coordination	SF 2369	Relating to autologous and directed blood donations	Against	Dead
Health Education	HF 2617	“Baby Olivia” Video – Regulation of human reproduction education in school-based settings	Undecided	Dead

FTC Issues Ban on Most Non-Compete Agreements - Legal Challenge Expected

Earlier this week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule banning most non-compete agreements nationwide, following a 3-2 vote. In its announcement, the FTC spoke to the rule’s intention “ to promote competition… protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.”

With the final rule, as issued, there are limited exceptions with the continued allowance of existing noncompete agreements for senior executive personnel – which the FTC defines “senior executives” as “workers earning more than $151,164 who are in a “policy-making position” as defined in the final rule”.

Legal challenges to this ruling have already been filed, including one from the US Chamber of Commerce, and additional filings are expected to come in the next weeks. A temporary injunction on enforcement of the rule is anticipated, which will affect the immediate impact of this ruling on physicians and physician employers, as proponents on both sides of the noncompete argument prepare to move their arguments forward through the legal process.

The IMS government relations team is monitoring developments and will communicate additional information as it becomes available.

Advocacy Action(s) for the Interim

While the legislature may only be in session from January – April, successful advocacy is a year-round endeavor! And with 2024 being an election year, our work in the Interim will be that much more important.

Stay tuned for special Interim issues of the Advocate where we will keep you in the loop on IMS’ advocacy activities throughout the summer and fall – including key areas and ways you can engage as physician champions.

Contact your Advocacy team: