a communication of the Iowa Nurses Association

Volume 4, Number 3
January 26, 2001

Pederson Says that the State needs more Child Protection Workers

Lt. Governor Pederson said that the state needs more child abuse workers to protect children. She said that the American Humane Association has recommended that the state reduce the caseloads of workers by hiring additional child protection workers. Pederson said that unless the state adds more workers, other efforts to appropriate additional resources to DHS would not be effective. The proposal from the Governor and Lt. Governor Pederson is for an additional appropriation of $5.2 million to DHS hire 98 child protection workers and 45 supervisors. Pederson said that DHS would still need to add more child protection workers in the future.

Healthy and Safe Communities Agenda

The Iowa Nurses Association has been invited to be a member of a coalition supporting healthy and safe communities. Health provider organizations and organizations represented advocates against child abuse, domestic abuse, elder abuse, dependent adult abuse and treatment for mental health and substance abuse have been invited to participate in the coalition effort. The Governor/Lt. Governor’s Offices want to build a coalition of organizations that will speak together for the vulnerable populations in Iowa. Past INA President, Judy Collins of Davenport is INA’s representative to the Steering Committee.

Activities scheduled that can address this agenda are: January 31, Mental Health Advocacy Coalition presentations, Room 116, State Capitol, noon-1:30 p.m.; February 14, message campaign to legislators about the issue; February 28, Iowa Nurses Association 2001 Agenda, Botanical Center, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (registration required, CEUs offered); March 7 ice cream social and rally on Capitol steps. All nurses are invited to participate in these activities.

Therese Vaughan, Insurance Commissioner of Iowa, spoke with the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. She noted the double-digit percent increase in premiums and stated that they are tracking the increases. She contributed these increases to the increase in prescription drugs and the increase of diagnostic tests being ordered. Ms Vaughan also speculated that these premium increases would continue, even at the double-digit percentage.

No bills introduced yet.

Governor’s Office 515/281-5211

Iowa House of Representatives at 515/281-3221

Iowa Senate at 515/281-3371

BILLS IN COMMITTEE OF INTEREST TO NURSING

Use the website address above to find 1) the bill language and 2) the email address for the legislators listed below. Legislators serving on the following subcommittees are the individuals to whom comments should be initially made. Legislators give first priority to those living in their House or Senate District. Make sure the legislator knows you are a registered nurse.

HF 60 ABORTION REPORTRING - Carroll (c), De Boef, Kreiman

HF 57 MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN - Grundberg (C), Foege, Hoversten

HF 58 INDIGENT CARE HOSPITALS - Grundberg (C), Boal, Foege

SF 28 PODIATRISTS COMPENSATION - Johnson (c) Deluhery, Maddox

SF 25 SUPPORT PAYMENTS ASSIGNABLE TO DHS - Johnson (C), Black, Sexton

SF 11 DISCLOSURE TO GUARDIANS - Miller (C), Bartz, Harper

SF 23 CIVIL COMMITMENT OF PREGNANT DRUG USERS - Miller (C), Dvorsky, Schuerer

SF 36 CAR IMMOBILIZATION -. Behn (C), Bartz, Harper

SF 21 CHILD ENDANGERMENT - Includes all the persons in a child’s household in the definition of the people who can be found guilty of committing child endangerment. Makes child endangerment which does not result in bodily injury or serious injury an aggravated misdemeanor. PASSED, 13-0 (See SF 63)

BILLS INTRODUCED OF INTEREST TO NURSING

HCR 5 NATIONAL HEART FAILURE WEEK (Boddicker) Promotes the National Heart Failure Awareness Week.

HSB 16 PODIATRIST COVERAGE (Commerce) Requires group health insurance and HMOs to provide coverage for podiatrist care if coverage includes osteopathic care. Shey (C), Bradley, Osterhaus

HSB 24 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL (Human Resources) Updates references of various organizations represented on medical assistance advisory council. (DHS) Hoversten (C), Boal, Murphy

HSB 26 PODIATRIST CARE (Human Resources) Requires the Department of Human Services to provide coverage and payment of podiatric services to the extent allowed by federal law for medical assistance program (DHS) Boal (C), Larson, Atteberry

HSB 27 DRUGS AND CHILD ABUSE (Human Resources) Establishes that if a controlled substance is in the presence or home of a child then the child in need of assistance provisions apply. (AG)
Boddicker (C), Carroll, Tremmel

HF 67 HEALTHY AND WELL KIDS (Osterhaus) Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules requiring all school districts to provide application forms for Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa Program for all children in grade K-12. (Commerce)

HF 72 SUBSTANCE ABUSE COVERAGE (Jochum) Requires policies for third-party payment of medical expenses to include coverage for alcohol and substance abuse under the same terms that other conditions are covered. (Commerce & Regulation) (Conversations with the sponsor say this is the Vermont legislation.)

SSB 1015 HOSPITAL PHARMACY ORDERS (Human Resources) Requires the Pharmacy Examiner’s Board to adopt rules for medication orders by hospital pharmacies which are no more restrictive than federal regulations.
Schuerer (C), Bartz, Harper

SSB 1016 PODIATRIC PHYSICIAN PAYMENTS (Human Resources) Requires the DHS to adopt rules for the payment of podiatric physicians for services rendered to Medicaid patients. Behn (C), Boettger, Dvorsky

SSB 1017 BIRTHING CENTER FEES (Human Resources) Eliminates hospital and birthing center licensing fees from the Code. Authorizes the Department of Inspections & Appeals to establish a hospital fee schedule and to set birthing center license fees by rule. Establishes the initial license fee for hospitals at $1,000 and for birthing centers at $15. (DIA) Miller (C), Behn, Hammond

SSB 1018 BIRTHING CENTER STANDARDS (Human Resources) Authorizes the Department of Inspections & Appeals to set standards for birthing centers by rule. Makes language changes. (DIA) Bartz(C), Boettger, Shearer

SSB 1020 RESOURCE CENTER--MHI ACCOUNTING (Human Resources) Transfers the billing and accounting for state resource centers (the hospital schools) and the mental health institutes to DHS from the Department of Revenue & Finance. (DHS) Dvorsky (C), Veenstra, Bartz

SSB 1023 MEDICAID COUNCIL REFERENCES (Human Resources) Updates references to organizations on the Medical Assistance Advisory Council. (DHS) Holveck (C), Schuerer, Boettger

SSB 1025 TOBACCO GIVEAWAYS (Judiciary) Makes it a crime for distributors or retailers to give away tobacco products. Boettger (C), Lamberti, Horn

SSB 1026 CIVIL COMMITMENT ESCAPES (Judiciary) Makes it a simple misdemeanor for a sexually violent predator who is committed under a civil commitment to escape from custody. (AG) Redfern (C), Angelo, Hansen

SSB 1036 CHINA & CHILD ABUSE (Judiciary) Includes in the definition of a child in need of assistance an unmarried child whose parent, guardian or custodian is involved in manufacturing a controlled substance or possess ephedrine in the presence of the child. Defines allowing the child to be present when such activities take place as child abuse. Miller (C), Tinsman, Hammond

SSB 1037 MEDICAID NOTICE (Judiciary) Requires that Medicaid claims against an estate be filed within fifteen months after the second publication of notice or two months after service by mail to creditors.
Redfern (C), Hansen, King

SF 44 BIRTH INJURY PROGRAM (Rehberg) Appropriates $300,000 for a birth injury program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. (Appropriations)

SF 49 BRACHIAL INJURY DATA BASE (Rehberg, et al) Requires the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to develop a comprehensive database regarding brachial plexus injuries. Authorizes parents or the legal guardians of an infant with such an injury to consult the database. ()

SF 63 CHILD ENDANGERMENT (Judiciary; Successor to SF 21) Includes all the persons in a child’s household in the definition of the people who can be found guilty of committing child endangerment. Makes child endangerment which does not result in bodily injury or serious injury an aggravated misdemeanor. (Calendar)

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