This bill amends various sections of the Iowa Code related to health care facilities, focusing on enhancing oversight and accountability. It mandates that health care facilities receiving state funding must adopt and submit their policies on competitive procurement for supplies and equipment. Additionally, the bill prohibits these facilities from requiring residents to sign arbitration agreements that limit their right to seek judicial review. It also establishes stricter inspection requirements, ensuring that the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) conducts at least one unannounced inspection every 12 months, rather than the previous 30-month period.

Furthermore, the bill increases penalties for class I violations, raising the minimum fine from $2,000 to $5,000, and quadrupling penalties for repeated violations within a 12-month period. It introduces a new class I violation for facilities that retaliate against residents or employees for filing complaints. The bill also streamlines the complaint response process, requiring quicker inspections for immediate jeopardy situations. To support these changes, the bill appropriates an additional $600,000 and 30 full-time equivalent positions to DIAL for increased safety inspections, with these provisions taking effect immediately and retroactively applicable to July 1, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 135C.14, 135C.16, 135C.9, 135C.40, 135C.38, 135C.37, 135C.36