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249A.4 Duties of director.

The director shall be responsible for the effective and impartial administration of this chapter and shall, in accordance with the standards and priorities established by this chapter, by applicable federal law, by the regulations and directives issued pursuant to federal law, by applicable court orders, and by the state plan approved in accordance with federal law, make rules, establish policies, and prescribe procedures to implement this chapter. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing delegation of authority, the director is hereby specifically empowered and directed to:

1. Determine the greatest amount, duration, and scope of assistance which may be provided, and the broadest range of eligible individuals to whom assistance may effectively be provided, under this chapter within the limitations of available funds. In so doing, the director shall at least every six months evaluate the scope of the program currently being provided under this chapter, project the probable cost of continuing a like program, and compare the probable cost with the remaining balance of the state appropriation made for payment of assistance under this chapter during the current appropriation period. After each evaluation of the scope of the program, the director shall report to the general assembly through the legislative council or in another manner as the general assembly may by resolution direct.

2. Reserved.

3. Have authority to provide for payment under this chapter of assistance rendered to any applicant prior to the date the application is filed.

4. Have authority to contract with any corporation authorized to engage in this state in insuring groups or individuals for all or part of the cost of medical, hospital, or other health care or with any corporation maintaining and operating a medical, hospital, or health service prepayment plan under the provisions of chapter 514 or with any health maintenance organization authorized to operate in this state, for any or all of the benefits to which any recipients are entitled under this chapter to be provided by such corporation or health maintenance organization on a prepaid individual or group basis.

5. May, to the extent possible, contract with a private organization or organizations whereby such organization will handle the processing of and the payment of claims for services rendered under the provisions of this chapter and under such rules and regulations as shall be promulgated by such department. The state department may give due consideration to the advantages of contracting with any organization which may be serving in Iowa as "intermediary" or "carrier" under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, as amended.

6. Shall co-operate with any agency of the state or federal government in any manner as may be necessary to qualify for federal aid and assistance for medical assistance in conformity with the provisions of chapter 249, this chapter and Titles XVI and XIX of the federal Social Security Act, as amended.

7. Shall provide for the professional freedom of those licensed practitioners who determine the need for or provide medical care and services, and shall provide freedom of choice to recipients to select the provider of care and services, except when the recipient is eligible for participation in a health maintenance organization or prepaid health plan which limits provider selection and which is approved by the department. However, this shall not limit the freedom of choice to recipients to select providers in instances where such provider services are eligible for reimbursement under the medical assistance program but are not provided under the health maintenance organization or under the prepaid health plan, or where the recipient has an already established program of specialized medical care with a particular provider. The department may also restrict the recipient's selection of providers to control the individual recipient's overuse of care and services, provided the department can document this overuse. The department shall promulgate rules for determining the overuse of services, including rights of appeal by the recipient.

8. Shall advise and consult at least semiannually with a council composed of the presidents of the following organizations, or a president's representative who is a member of the organization represented by the president: the Iowa medical society, the Iowa osteopathic medical association, the Iowa state dental society, the Iowa state nurses association, the Iowa pharmacists association, the Iowa podiatry society, the Iowa optometric association, the community mental health centers association of Iowa, the Iowa psychological association, the Iowa hospital association, the Iowa osteopathic hospital association, opticians' association of Iowa, inc., the Iowa hearing aid society, the Iowa speech, language, and hearing association, the Iowa health care association, the Iowa association for home care, the Iowa council of health care centers, and the Iowa association of homes for the aging, the Iowa psychiatric nurse managers network, the arc of Iowa which was formerly known as the association for retarded citizens of Iowa, the alliance for the mentally ill of Iowa, Iowa state association of counties, and the Iowa governor's planning council for developmental disabilities, together with one person designated by the Iowa state board of chiropractic examiners; one state representative from each of the two major political parties appointed by the speaker of the house, one state senator from each of the two major political parties appointed by the president of the senate, after consultation with the majority leader and the minority leader of the senate, each for a term of two years; four public representatives, appointed by the governor for staggered terms of two years each, none of whom shall be members of, or practitioners of, or have a pecuniary interest in any of the professions or businesses represented by any of the several professional groups and associations specifically represented on the council under this subsection, and at least one of whom shall be a recipient of medical assistance; the director of public health, or a representative designated by the director; and the dean of the college of medicine, university of Iowa, or a representative designated by the dean.

For each council meeting, other than those held during the time the general assembly is in session, each legislative member of the council shall be reimbursed for actual traveling and other necessary expenses and shall receive a per diem as specified in section 7E.6 for each day in attendance, as shall the public representatives, regardless of whether the general assembly is in session.

The director shall consider the advice and consultation offered by the council in the director's preparation of medical assistance budget recommendations.

9. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A in determining the method and level of reimbursement for all medical and health services referred to in section 249A.2, subsection 1 or 6, after considering all of the following:

a. The promotion of efficient and cost-effective delivery of medical and health services.

b. Compliance with federal law and regulations.

c. The level of state and federal appropriations for medical assistance.

d. Reimbursement at a level as near as possible to actual costs and charges after priority is given to the considerations in paragraphs "a", "b", and "c".

10. Shall provide an opportunity for a fair hearing before the department of inspections and appeals to an individual whose claim for medical assistance under this chapter is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness. Upon completion of a hearing, the department of inspections and appeals shall issue a decision which is subject to review by the department of human services.

11. In determining the medical assistance eligibility of a pregnant woman, infant, or child under the federal Social Security Act, § 1902(l), resources which are used as tools of the trade shall not be considered.

12. In determining the medical assistance eligibility of a pregnant woman, infant, or child under the federal Social Security Act, § 1902(l), or pursuant to section 249A.3, subsection 2, paragraph "g", the department shall establish resource standards and exclusions not less generous than the resource standards and exclusions adopted pursuant to section 255A.5, if in compliance with federal laws and regulations.

13. In implementing subsection 9, relating to reimbursement for medical and health services under this chapter, when a selected out-of-state acute care hospital facility is involved, a contractual arrangement may be developed with the out-of-state facility that is in accordance with the requirements of Titles XVIII and XIX of the federal Social Security Act. The contractual arrangement is not subject to other reimbursement standards, policies, and rate setting procedures required under this chapter.

14. A medical assistance copayment shall only be applied to those services and products specified in administrative rules of the department in effect on February 1, 1991, which under federal medical assistance requirements, are provided at the option of the state.

Judicial review of the decisions of the department of human services may be sought in accordance with chapter 17A. If a petition for judicial review is filed, the department of human services shall furnish the petitioner with a copy of the application and all supporting papers, a transcript of the testimony taken at the hearing, if any, and a copy of its decision.

Section History: Early form

[C62, 66, § 249A.5, 249A.10; C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 249A.4; 82 Acts, ch 1260, § 121, 122]

Section History: Recent form

83 Acts, ch 96, § 157, 159; 83 Acts, ch 153, § 12, 13; 83 Acts, ch 201, § 13; 86 Acts, ch 1245, § 2031; 89 Acts, ch 37, § 1; 89 Acts, ch 104, § 5; 89 Acts, ch 304, § 203; 90 Acts, ch 1204, § 61, 62; 90 Acts, ch 1223, § 21; 90 Acts, ch 1256, § 41; 90 Acts, ch 1264, § 34; 91 Acts, ch 97, § 32; 91 Acts, ch 158, § 5; 92 Acts, ch 1229, § 29, 30; 94 Acts, ch 1150, §1, 2

Internal References

Referred to in § 249A.3


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