Meeting Public Comments

Katie Peterson

I oppose this bill. This is an extremely dangerous bill that gives healthcare providers the excuse to deny healthcare for anyone under the guise of "Free speech," and it will have detrimental effects for all Iowans.

Tim Millea

As a retired physician practicing in Iowa for thirty years, the protection of the right to provide care that is in the patient's best interest is paramount. When physicians and other medical professionals are not allowed to follow their conscience, their rights are violated and their patient is at risk of harm. The best medical care can be assured if the constitutionallyprotected rights of conscience are maintained and respected. Please support and advance this bill.

Josie Krueger

I oppose this legislation. I previously lived in a state with similar legislation and I was turned away from services including dentists, general practitioners and specialists for nothing other than being a member of the LGBTQ community. I was turned away from being seen for strep throat because they said they do not serve trans patients. I know people that have been turned away from services because they were told by the service provider that serving someone in a samesex committed partnership violated their conscience. This law as written is too broad and does not do enough to protect those that are turned away from services. If the state was serious about protecting all citizens rights, the state would write into the law provisions/appropriations to help fill the gap where a provider's conscience and a patient's needs and access to the marketplace conflict. This law, as written, does not do that, and it further does a disservice to those it purports to help by deepening a conflict in belief, need, and law instead of finding a solution that helps everyone.

Laura carlson Laura carlson

Please vote yes to allow medical practitioners their right to choice in administering medical care. No one should be forced to act against their values. This freedom would increase attractiveness of medical careers in Iowa.

Sara Montero-Elliott

(Reposted with the corrected bill name)I oppose HSB 139 firstly because it's going to kill people. The right diagnosis and treatment at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. Any political intervention in that process will negatively affect patients. It will particularly affect patients with politically sensitive medical situations (like ectopic pregnancies or being a transsexual), and make their treatment optional. This is discriminatory and needlessly endangers people. Secondly, for a patient, its also lost time, lost money, lost confidence. I want to trust that healthcare workers know what they are doing and are doing everything they can to help me, to the best of their ability. I havent been to med school. I want to trust their judgment. This bill erodes that trust. If Im at an appointment and a doctor is refusing me a certain treatment, I will have to stop and think, is it because theyre more knowledgable than I am about medicine and genuinely believe its not the right treatment? Or is it because their religious beliefs or moral compunctions or entirely personal whathaveyou compels them to give me different and potentially substandard care? Im visibly trans and take hormones, which Im open about with the healthcare providers I see. Do they have a political or religious opposition to what Im doing with my own body and are they denying me this treatment because they think my transition is involved somehow and they dont want to accommodate for that? Or are they denying the treatment because they just think my body is icky and they don't want to deal with it? Exhausting. I have waited MONTHS to be seen by healthcare professionals, some clinics Ive had to call every day for the chance to set up an appointment. So if youll pardon the wording, I dont give a damn how a doctor or nurse feels about my treatment. I get one chance in months sometimes years to see them and I want to trust that I'm getting good quality care. And I want there to be some consequences if somebodys religious beliefs or conscience makes me sicker or puts my life in danger. Vote no on this bill.