The Fry Times - Bills advance on child care, maternal health, and parent access to medical records

February 1, 2024 - This week, the House Health and Human Services committee passed six bills with bipartisan support to address a variety of issues affecting Iowans. Below are some of the bills:

• Parent Access to Child’s Medical Record – House File 2064 requires health care providers to give parents access to their children’s health care information through electronic health records or printing the record at no cost to the parent. Minors are able to consent to very few health care services under the law, and based on those few exceptions, some health care providers were cutting off parents entirely from their child’s health information.
• Child Care Flexibility – House File 2056 allows for additional workers to be able to assist during nap times and breaks. In 2022, the legislature allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to work in child-care centers with children 5 years and older. This bill allows those workers to assist with younger children during naps and brief periods.
• Maternal Health – House File 2057 makes updates to the More Options for Maternal Support program. This bill allows the state to contract directly with pregnancy resource centers, allows for the 3rd party administrator to be based in Iowa, and allows for additional services to be provided to pregnant women.
• Medicaid Look-Back – House Study Bill 501 clarifies that Medicaid has 2 years to do a post-payment review of Medicaid claims that do not involve fraud or misrepresentation and cannot recoup funds or offset against future reimbursement claims after the two years have passed.
• Nursing Home Cameras – House File 537 allows for live-streamed cameras in nursing home and clearly outlines processes for residents or their legal representatives to request a camera in their room. The bill includes protections for shared rooms and gives roommates the authority to determine whether a camera is in their room.

Forum Schedule

Senator Sinclair and Representative Fry will be hosting Legislative Forums in the District during the 2024 Legislative Session.

The first day of forums will be: February 23, 2024

8:00 am - Corydon, IA at the Wayne County Farm Bureau

10:00 am - Chariton, IA at the Lucas County Farm Bureau

12:00 pm - Osceola, IA at Revelton Distilling Company (**Please Note Change in location**)

2:00 pm - Leon, IA at the Leon Community Center

We hope you are able to make it to one of the meetings and look forward to meeting with everyone.