House File 2155 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 2155
BY GEHLBACH
A BILL FOR
1 An Act creating the compassion and care for medically
2 challenging pregnancies Act.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
TLSB 5951YH (4) 90
pf/ko
 H.F. 2155
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135S.1 Title.
2 This chapter shall be known as the “Compassion and Care for
3 Medically Challenging Pregnancies Act”.
4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 135S.2 Definitions.
5 For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context
6 otherwise requires:
7 1. “Department” means the department of health and human
8 services.
9 2. “Health care practitioner” means a physician licensed
10 pursuant to chapter 148, an advanced registered nurse
11 practitioner licensed pursuant to chapter 152, or an advanced
12 practice registered nurse under chapter 152E.
13 3. “Lethal fetal anomaly” means a fetal condition diagnosed
14 before birth that will, with reasonable certainty, result in
15 the death of the child three months after birth.
16 4. “Perinatal hospice service” means comprehensive
17 support to a pregnant woman and her family that includes
18 support from the time of diagnosis of a lethal fetal anomaly,
19 through the time of birth and the death of the infant, and
20 through the postpartum period. “Perinatal hospice services”
21 may include but are not limited to counseling and medical
22 care by maternal-fetal medical specialists, obstetricians,
23 neonatologists, anesthesia specialists, clergy, social workers,
24 and specialty nurses focused on alleviating fear and ensuring
25 that the pregnant woman and her family experience the life and
26 death of the child in a comfortable and supportive environment.
27 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 135S.3 Perinatal hospice services ——
28 health care practitioner role —— list and information.
29 1. A health care practitioner who diagnoses a lethal fetal
30 anomaly may do any of the following:
31 a. Inform the pregnant woman, orally and in person, that
32 perinatal hospice services are available and offer to refer the
33 pregnant woman for such services.
34 b. Provide the pregnant woman with the list and information
35 sheet regarding available perinatal hospice services compiled
LSB 5951YH (4) 90
-1- pf/ko 1/3
 H.F. 2155
1 and provided by the department pursuant to subsection 2.
2 2. a. The department shall compile a geographically
3 organized list of, and an information sheet regarding,
4 perinatal hospice services available in Iowa and nationally.
5 b. The department shall post the list and information sheet
6 compiled under this subsection, available in both English and
7 Spanish, on the department’s internet site.
8 c. The internet site and information sheet shall include all
9 of the following:
10 (1) A statement indicating that perinatal hospice services
11 are an innovative and compassionate model of support for a
12 pregnant woman who is informed that her baby has a lethal fetal
13 anomaly and chooses to continue her pregnancy.
14 (2) A general description of the perinatal hospice services
15 available.
16 (3) At the request of a perinatal hospice service included
17 on the list, the perinatal hospice service’s informational
18 materials and contact information, including whether
19 twenty-four-hour perinatal hospice services are available.
20 EXPLANATION
21 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
22 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
23 This bill creates the “Compassion and Care for Medically
24 Challenging Pregnancies Act”.
25 The bill provides definitions for “department”, “health care
26 practitioner”, “lethal fetal anomaly”, and “perinatal hospice
27 service” as used in the bill.
28 The bill provides that a health care practitioner who
29 diagnoses a lethal fetal anomaly may inform the pregnant
30 woman, orally and in person, that perinatal hospice services
31 are available and offer to refer the pregnant woman for
32 such services; or provide the pregnant woman with the list
33 and information sheet regarding available perinatal hospice
34 services compiled and provided by the department of health and
35 human services (HHS).
LSB 5951YH (4) 90
-2- pf/ko 2/3
 H.F. 2155
1 The bill requires HHS to compile a geographically organized
2 list of, and an information sheet regarding, perinatal hospice
3 services available in Iowa and nationally. HHS shall post
4 the list and information sheet, available in both English
5 and Spanish, on HHS’s internet site. The internet site and
6 information sheet shall include a statement indicating that
7 perinatal hospice services are an innovative and compassionate
8 model of support for the pregnant woman who is informed that
9 her baby has a lethal fetal anomaly and chooses to continue
10 her pregnancy; a general description of the perinatal hospice
11 services available; and at the request of a perinatal hospice
12 service included on the list, the perinatal hospice service’s
13 informational materials and contact information, including
14 whether 24-hour perinatal hospice services are available.
LSB 5951YH (4) 90
-3- pf/ko 3/3