Michael Bergan
Greetings from the Statehouse,
Things are getting done here at the Capitol, thanks to a productive and dedicated legislature. This week marked the end of week seven of the legislative session, and we are approaching the first funnel date of March 7 for policy bills that must be moved out of subcommittees and adopted by committee to be eligible for further consideration this session.
HF-331, a bill to establish implementing requirements related to organizations that sponsor or administer extracurricular or interscholastic athletics, including the creation of a conference realignment committee passed out of the House Education Committee. A companion bill, SF-265 passed through the Senate Education Committee earlier this week. The bill adopts a process used in Wisconsin, which will address some shortcomings and process delays experienced in our current system for changes to high school sports conferences. The House bill will be placed on the calendar, eligible for floor debate.
Recently, the Iowa House unanimously passed three bills related to expanding access to health care services through their insurance and to provide relief to providers and patients seeking approval for a health care service through their insurance. The bills below are now able to be considered by the Senate; House File 303 sets up timelines for response from health insurers on prior authorizations, requires insurers to review health care services that require prior authorization, requires a prior authorization exemption program with each health insurer and a report submitted to the Insurance Division on the effectiveness of their program. House File 330 strikes age and benefit limits from the autism coverage requirements of health plans in Iowa. House File 318 requires insurers to provide the same cost-sharing requirements for supplemental breast examinations and diagnostic breast examinations as they do for mammograms.
One of the caucus priorities we entered session with was to ensure Iowa laws are protecting our youth and setting them up for success in life. We must make sure that we are supporting kids born into tough situations. This week, the House Health and Human Services Committee passed multiple bills to support children in foster care and to help foster parents support children in their care. House File 374 allows for DHHS and foster parents to consent to routine medical care for a child placed in their care. This will help ensure kids have access to the health care they need. House Study Bill 146 appropriates $275,000 for additional Department of Health and Human Services employees focused on finding relatives for children placed in foster care and provides additional emphasis on foster parents that have cared for the child for at least nine months in determining custody. This will hopefully provide more stability for the child in foster care.
House Study Bill 215 allows for expedited kinship licensure. The bill defines fictive kin as an adult who is not a relative of a child but who has an emotionally positive significant relationship with the child or the child’s family. This aims to use the child’s existing support system to provide the care they need and improve their wellbeing. Every child in Iowa deserves the opportunity for a bright future. We are taking a comprehensive look at improving our foster care system to get more kids born into tough situations more support.
Throughout the week, the Capitol was also visited by numerous groups including athletic training students from numerous schools, Iowa Pork Producers, Iowa Cattleman’s Association, Iowa Dental Hygienist Association, Early Childhood Iowa, Iowa Dairy Association and Luther College social work students.
I appreciate visits from constituents and learning about the issues that are of concern. Kindly contact me ahead of time if you are planning a trip to the Capitol. It helps me plan my schedule to meet with you. I am scheduled to attend town hall forums hosted by Farm Bureau at 9 a.m. March 8 in Arlington, Iowa. I can be reached at michael.bergan@legis.iowa.gov.
Very truly yours,
Michael Bergan
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