House File 620 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 217)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the volunteer health care provider program and
2 providing an effective date.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2426HV 81
5 pf/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 135.24, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 1. The director shall establish within the department a
1 4 program to provide to eligible hospitals, clinics, free
1 5 clinics, or other health care facilities, health care referral
1 6 programs, or charitable organizations, free medical, dental,
1 7 and chiropractic, pharmaceutical, nursing, optometric,
1 8 psychological, social work, behavioral science, podiatric,
1 9 physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy,
1 10 medical technology, and emergency medical care services given
1 11 on a voluntary basis by health care providers. A
1 12 participating health care provider shall register with the
1 13 department and obtain from the department a list of eligible,
1 14 participating hospitals, clinics, free clinics, or other
1 15 health care facilities, health care referral programs, or
1 16 charitable organizations.
1 17 Sec. 2. Section 135.24, subsection 2, paragraphs a, c, and
1 18 d, Code 2005, are amended to read as follows:
1 19 a. Procedures for registration of health care providers
1 20 deemed qualified by the board of medical examiners, the board
1 21 of physician assistant examiners, the board of dental
1 22 examiners, the board of nursing, the board of chiropractic
1 23 examiners, the board of psychology examiners, the board of
1 24 social work examiners, the board of behavioral science
1 25 examiners, and the board of pharmacy examiners, the board of
1 26 optometry examiners, the board of podiatry examiners, the
1 27 board of physical and occupational therapy examiners, the
1 28 state board for respiratory care, and the Iowa department of
1 29 public health, as applicable.
1 30 c. Criteria for and identification of hospitals, clinics,
1 31 free clinics, or other health care facilities, health care
1 32 referral programs, or charitable organizations, eligible to
1 33 participate in the provision of free medical, dental, or
1 34 chiropractic, pharmaceutical, nursing, optometric,
1 35 psychological, social work, behavioral science, podiatric,
2 1 physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy,
2 2 medical technology, or emergency medical care services through
2 3 the volunteer health care provider program. A free clinic, a
2 4 health care facility, a health care referral program, a
2 5 charitable organization, or a health care provider
2 6 participating in the program shall not bill or charge a
2 7 patient for any health care provider service provided under
2 8 the volunteer health care provider program.
2 9 d. Identification of the services to be provided under the
2 10 program. The services provided may include, but shall not be
2 11 limited to, obstetrical and gynecological medical services,
2 12 psychiatric services provided by a physician licensed under
2 13 chapter 148, 150, or 150A, dental services provided under
2 14 chapter 153, or other services provided under chapter 147A,
2 15 148A, 148B, 148C, 149, 151, 152, 152B, 152E, 154, 154B, 154C,
2 16 154D, or 155A.
2 17 Sec. 3. Section 135.24, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code
2 18 2005, is amended to read as follows:
2 19 b. Provided medical, dental, or chiropractic,
2 20 pharmaceutical, nursing, optometric, psychological, social
2 21 work, behavioral science, podiatric, physical therapy,
2 22 occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, medical technology,
2 23 or emergency medical care services through a hospital, clinic,
2 24 free clinic, or other health care facility, health care
2 25 referral program, or charitable organization listed as
2 26 eligible and participating by the department pursuant to
2 27 subsection 1.
2 28 Sec. 4. Section 135.24, subsection 4, Code 2005, is
2 29 amended to read as follows:
2 30 4. A free clinic providing free care under this section
2 31 shall be considered a state agency solely for the purposes of
2 32 this section and chapter 669 and shall be afforded protection
2 33 under chapter 669 as a state agency for all claims arising
2 34 from the provision of free care by a health care provider
2 35 registered under subsection 3 who is providing services at the
3 1 free clinic in accordance with this section or from the
3 2 provision of free care by a health care provider who is
3 3 covered by adequate medical malpractice insurance as
3 4 determined by the department, if the free clinic has
3 5 registered with the department pursuant to subsection 1.
3 6 Sec. 5. Section 135.24, subsections 5 and 6, Code 2005,
3 7 are amended to read as follows:
3 8 5. For the purposes of this section, "charitable
3 9 organization" means a charitable organization within the
3 10 meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
3 11 which has as its primary purpose the sponsorship or support of
3 12 programs designed to improve the quality, awareness, and
3 13 availability of chiropractic, dental, or medical services to
3 14 children and to serve as a funding mechanism for provision of
3 15 chiropractic, dental, or medical services, including but not
3 16 limited to immunizations, to children in this state.
3 17 6. 5. For the purposes of this section:
3 18 a. "Charitable organization" means a charitable
3 19 organization within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the
3 20 Internal Revenue Code which has as its primary purpose the
3 21 sponsorship or support of programs designed to improve the
3 22 quality, awareness, and availability of chiropractic, dental,
3 23 medical, pharmaceutical, nursing, optometric, psychological,
3 24 social work, behavioral science, podiatric, physical therapy,
3 25 occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, or emergency
3 26 medical care services to children and to serve as a funding
3 27 mechanism for provision of chiropractic, dental, medical,
3 28 pharmaceutical, nursing, optometric, psychological, social
3 29 work, behavioral science, podiatric, physical therapy,
3 30 occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, or emergency
3 31 medical care services, including but not limited to
3 32 immunizations, to children in this state.
3 33 a. b. "Free clinic" means a facility, other than a
3 34 hospital or health care provider's office which is exempt from
3 35 taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
4 1 and which has as its sole purpose the provision of health care
4 2 services without charge to individuals who are otherwise
4 3 unable to pay for the services.
4 4 b. c. "Health care provider" means a physician licensed
4 5 under chapter 148, 150, 150A, or 151, a physical therapist
4 6 licensed pursuant to chapter 148A, an occupational therapist
4 7 licensed pursuant to chapter 148B, a podiatrist licensed
4 8 pursuant to chapter 149, a physician assistant licensed and
4 9 practicing under a supervising physician pursuant to chapter
4 10 148C, a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse, or an
4 11 advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed pursuant to
4 12 chapter 152 or 152E, a respiratory therapist licensed pursuant
4 13 to chapter 152B, a dentist, dental hygienist, or dental
4 14 assistant registered or licensed to practice under chapter
4 15 153, an optometrist licensed pursuant to chapter 154, a
4 16 psychologist licensed pursuant to chapter 154B, a social
4 17 worker licensed pursuant to chapter 154C, a mental health
4 18 counselor or a marital and family therapist licensed pursuant
4 19 to chapter 154D, or a pharmacist licensed pursuant to chapter
4 20 155A, or an emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
4 21 to chapter 147A.
4 22 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
4 23 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
4 24 EXPLANATION
4 25 This bill adds to the definition of "health care provider"
4 26 under the volunteer health care provider program, physical
4 27 therapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, respiratory
4 28 therapists, medical technologists, and emergency medical care
4 29 providers. The bill also makes conforming changes to the
4 30 section of the Code establishing the volunteer health care
4 31 provider program to include physical therapists, occupational
4 32 therapists, podiatrists, medical technologists, and emergency
4 33 medical care providers.
4 34 LSB 2426HV 81
4 35 pf:nh/gg/14