CHAPTER 126
STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER
[Prior to 4/20/88, see Medical Examiner, State[566] Ch 1]
[Prior to 7/1/99, see Public Safety Department[661] Ch 21]
641—126.1(144,331,691) Definitions.
“Autopsy” means the external and internal postmortem examination of a deceased person.
“County of appointment” means the county which requests a medical examiner to conduct an investigation, perform or order an autopsy, or prepare a report(s) in a death investigation case. The request may be authorized by the county attorney or the county medical examiner. The county of appointment shall be the county in which the death occurred.
641—126.2(691) Medical examiner coverage. Rescinded IAB 12/12/01, effective 1/16/02.
641—126.3(691) Fees for autopsies and related services and reimbursement for related expenses. Autopsies performed by the state medical examiner division are provided on a fee-for-service basis. Costs of autopsies and related services and expenses are the responsibility of the county of appointment. The county of residence of the deceased shall reimburse the county of appointment.
	126.3(1) Fee schedule. The following fees shall apply to autopsies conducted by the state medical examiner division:

 	Autopsy		$1200	
 	Copies of reports		$20	
Exceptions: A copy of the autopsy report is included in the autopsy fee. A single copy of an autopsy report may be provided to the immediate next of kin of the deceased without fee. Copies of autopsy reports may be provided to public officials and physicians of record for official purposes without fee.

State, deputy, or associate medical examiner(s)
time for all court cases		$350 per hour with a one-hour minimum	
This fee is for time spent reviewing case materials, preparing for deposition or court, testifying in deposition or court, and travel time.
	126.3(2) Expense reimbursement. Other laboratory services associated with an autopsy, which shall include, but not be limited to, photography, toxicology, radiology, microbiology, and morgue fees, shall be billed by the department to the county of appointment. Moneys collected pursuant to this subrule shall be paid by the department to the laboratory or other entity providing the service.
	126.3(3) State medical examiner acting as county medical examiner. When the state medical examiner acts in the capacity of county medical examiner, the state medical examiner shall receive from the county of appointment a fee of $100 per hour, with a one-hour minimum, for each report prepared plus the state medical examiner’s actual expenses. Counties may not depend on the state medical examiner for full-time coverage.
641—126.4(691) Fees for tissue recovery. When the tissue recovery room located within the office of the state medical examiner is utilized by an authorized tissue recovery agency, a fee of $400 per case shall be assessed. The tissue recovery agency is responsible for this fee, payable to the office of the state medical examiner.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 691.6.
[Filed 11/1/84, Notice 6/6/84—published 11/21/84, effective 12/26/84]
[Filed 4/1/88, Notice 9/23/87—published 4/20/88, effective 5/25/88]
[Filed emergency 12/23/88 after Notice of 11/2/88—published 1/11/89, effective 12/23/88]
[Filed emergency 8/29/96—published 9/25/96, effective 9/1/96]
[Filed emergency 6/9/99—published 6/30/99, effective 6/9/99]
[Filed 11/19/01, Notice 10/3/01—published 12/12/01, effective 1/16/02]
[Filed 1/16/03, Notice 11/27/02—published 2/5/03, effective 3/12/03]
[Filed 1/10/07, Notice 11/22/06—published 1/31/07, effective 3/7/07]