Iowa House and Senate pass tort reform bill

The Iowa House of Representatives and the Iowa Senate held floor debates and voted today to approve the amended House File 161, establishing hard caps on noneconomic damages in cases of medical malpractice. The amended bill places a $2 million cap for hospitals or a $1 million cap for other health care providers. The original bill placed a $1 million cap on all providers.

“This bill is a positive step in protecting access to care for all Iowans,” said IHA President and CEO Chris Mitchell. “This bill stops the rising cost of medical liability insurance, meaning Iowa hospitals can continue to recruit top talent in the health care field while continuing to ensure access to affordable, high-quality care to patients.” 

The bill passed the House 54-46 and the Senate 29-20. Tort reform was a priority for IHA this legislative session and IHA extends its thanks to Gov. Kim Reynolds, Rep. Joel Fry (R-Osceola), Rep. Ann Meyer (R-Fort Dodge), Sen. Mike Bousselot (R-Ankeny), Sen. Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) and Sen. Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) for their support of this critical issue.

Judge strikes down No Surprises Act's revised dispute-resolution process
The No Surprises Act's revised dispute-resolution process was struck down by a Texas judge, vacating regulations nationwide. U.S. District Court Judge Jeremy Kernodle ruled in favor of the Texas Medical Association writing that the federal government’s revised process for determining payment for out-of-network services under the No Surprises Act favors commercial insurers. The outcomes are in violation of the compromise Congress laid out in the No Surprises Act.

2023 Governance Forum looks to the future of boards
The 2023 IHA Governance Forum will help hospital trustees prepare for the future of governance and build for their organization’s long-term success. Sessions will include discussions about future trends in health care, population health and cybersecurity.

Mary Edwards, former vice president of public policy with Fairview Health Services in St. Paul, Minnesota, will review trends in health care and their impacts on rural and urban hospitals. Keith Wysocki of Kedros Leadership in Omaha, Nebraska, will give participants an overview of population health and why it’s important to prioritize it as a board. Randy Romes, principal with CliftonLarsonAllen in Minneapolis, also will discuss the threat of cyberattacks and provide ways to protect organizations.

Other session topics include:

• Advocating for your hospital.
• Analyzing case studies to understand trustee responsibilities.
• Communicating with the public.
• Reviewing ethical and fiduciary responsibilities.

Trustee awards will follow Friday's lunch. An optional session is available that provides a primer about trustee duties. The forum is scheduled from Friday, April 14, to Saturday, April 15. Email Corey Martin at IHA with questions.

Period 4 provider relief fund report due March 31
Providers who received one or more general or targeted provider relief funding or American Rescue Plan rural payments exceeding a total of $10,000 from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2021, must report their use of funds by Friday, March 31. Resources are available to help providers complete their reports.

IHA also is hosting a webinar to help providers prepare for provider relief fund federal audits. Ben Fee, an attorney with Hall, Render, Killian, Heath and Lyman, will discuss the types of audits and the agencies conducting them. He also will provide strategies for hospitals to navigate audits. The Provider Relief Fund Federal Audits Are Here: What to Expect and How to Prepare webinar is scheduled from 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14. Email Joah Hogan at IHA with questions about the webinar.