Newsletters

 ACTION ALERT!    On the Iowa Senate Debate calendar for today: The licensure bill as amended and passed by the Iowa House last evening, HF 2627.  It’s not as horrible as many of the licensure bills that we have defeated in the past, but just seems plain unnecessary. 

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6-12-2020 UPDATE :  This session could end very quickly. Reach out to you legislators as well.  Tell them that we need a telehealth bill that will at the very least require that telehealth services be reimbursed at 100% until 6-30-2021 (which would allow time for data gathering and for the legislature to then act on that data.

As of this writing, we are waiting for HF 2192 (the telehealth bill) to come up on the Senate floor.  It is not at this time (9:34 am) on the debate calendar for today (6-11-2020). (But we suspect this isn’t going to be how it’s going to get passed – others are working through the HHS budget) 

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The NASW Iowa Chapter (NASW-IA) worked with the NASW Foundation and the University of Iowa School of Social Work, in 2018-2019, to assess the Iowa social work labor force. The initiative was funded by a generous $50,000 grant from the  Telligen Community Initiative. 

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Advocates: I know you are tired. But the pressure is working! In his amendment to HF 2192, Senator Edler has increased the reimbursement rate for telehealth services for mental health services. We aren’t at 100% yet, but we are getting there.  (The rate for the medical providers is way less – I don’t know that they are going to be happy with this amendment.)

Email received from the Iowa Senate at 10:54 pm Friday night:

“There will be no debate in the Senate on Monday, June 8^th:

We will reconvene on Tuesday, June 9^th at 9:00 am. A Senate Daily Schedule email will be sent on Monday evening.” 

What exactly does this mean?  I am not sure – but it seems that they are feeling the heat of your advocacy. 

ACTION ITEMS regarding telehealth – If you have done the first, work your way down the list to find one you haven’t completed.

1. If you have any hard data about how telehealth has impacted your practice (particularly financially), please send that to Senator Edler (it seems that he is getting his data from the insurance companies).  Thank him for his work on this issue; explain to him firmly but kindly why telehealth needs to be reimbursed at 100% of office rates. jeff.edler@legis.iowa.gov

2. Email YOUR Senator (work address and/or home address) and tell them your story about how telehealth has impacted your practice.  Find your Legislator

3. Email Senator Liz Mathis – she is fighting very hard on this issue.  Give her the data that she needs to continue this work.  Thank her for her work.  She is an excellent ally on so, so many of issues important to providers and our clients.  liz.mathis@legis.iowa.gov

4. Feel the need to do something positive?  Email Rep. Joel Fry LISW and THANK HIM for working on the telethealth reimbursement rates.  Send him your data as well. He may need to back up his arguments.  Edler is amending Fry’s bill. If the bill is successful in the Senate, it will need to go back to the House.  joel.fry@legis.iowa.gov

5. Email the rest of the House social work delegation.  They have our backs.  Give them the data they need to help us fight for this in the House.  Thank them for bringing the social work perspective to their work in the legislature.

Rep. Marti Anderson, LISW         marti.anderson@legis.iowa.gov

Rep. Mark D. Smith, LISW            mark.smith@legis.iowa.gov

Rep. Ross Wilburn, MSW             Ross.Wilburn@legis.iowa.gov

6. Done all this?  Adopt a Senator and send them your data and stories. They all need to hear this. Build a relationship with that Senator.  https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/senate

• Smeone on the Human Resources committee would be a good target:

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/committee?ga=88&groupID=328

• • Or a member of the leadership

Senate President Charles Schneider                      charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver                    jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov

FYI – NASW IA advocacy alerts for now can be found at naswia.socialworkers.org under the NEWLETTERS.  It seems a little easier to read and find things.  See Thurs. June 4 Action alert on Telehealth for more talking points.

Thank you for all you do!  Keeping pushing! Let’s not lose any momentum over the weekend.

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SF 2393 is on the calendar for Thurs. 6-4  2 pm for the Senate Ways & Means Committee meeting.  Discussion on this bill was DEFERRED as they are waiting for amendments proposed by Senator Dotzler. Additionally, Sen. Brown proposed substanial amendments, including language to keep the Governor's proclamation on telehealth payments in effect until 12-31-2020.  (We would prefer 7-1-2021, allowing the legislature to write a data driven bill.  We will let you know when the Senate Ways & Means committee is next scheduled to meet https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=88&ba=SF2393 ...

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HF 2192 will be discussed in the Senate Human Resources committee at 10:15 am on Thursday, 6-4 Here are a few talking points.  See previous newsletters on telehealth for specific targets and contact information  Telehealth increases access for clients Clients like telehealth and it will be difficult to coax some of them back to in-office visits Clients are at least as likely, if not more likely, to keep their telehealth appointments Barriers to access such as transportation, are decreased with telehealth Some clients actually do BETTER using telehealth Telehealth can increase the geographical reach of s...

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Senate Human Resources Committee is meeting Thurs. 6-4 at 10:15 am HF 2192, a bill on telehealth is on the agenda for discussion. This bill is very likely to be amended so please watch this space for updates. Please email your state Senator about this bill and tell them at 100% of in-office reimbursement rate is very important for mental health providers and why.  Here are some talking points:   I am writing about the sections of the Governor’s proclamation on the use of telehealth and reimbursement rates for telehealth, which are scheduled to expire on 6-26-2020. I hope that the Iowa State Legislature w...

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HF 2470 passed the House Ways & Means Committee meeting on Wed. 6-3.  Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, who is generally supportive of professional licensure, said that there will be some amendments.  That could come as early as late this afternoon.  This was a bi-partisan bill with only three democrats voting against it. https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=88&ba=HF2470 If you have not reached out to your own legislator, now would be the time to do so. Here are some talking points: This bill will not accomplish what seems to be the intent of the main booster – Americans for Prosperity. (T...

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Action alert re:  Telehealth It has been brought to our attention that Iowa State Senate is working on a telehealth bill that would not be as expansive in coverage as the current Governor’s Proclamation.  If you have time for one email or telephone call:    Please email Senator Majority Leader Whitver and ask him to work with Senator Jeff Edler and their caucus to craft a bill that includes the provisions outlined in the Governor’s proclamation.  This includes reimbursement rates at 100% of an office visit rate reimbursement for services from locations other than clinics reimbursement...

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  Scroll down for more information on these topics:   Governor’s Proclamations dated 4-27-2020 & 5-6-2020 Medicare State Legislative Update Federal Advocacy New website Voting is Social Work! Upcoming CEU events Survey on Telehealth Good news in Central Iowa Chapter Elections   Governor’s Proclamations dated 4-27-2020 & 5-6-2020 These proclamations expire on 5-27-2020 The portions of the Governor’s proclamations that impact the practice of social work were simply extended until 5-27-2020.  The Iowa Board of Social Work has updated the guidance on ...

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Governor’s Latest Proclamation includes licensing (Sun. 3-22-2020) https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/gov-reynolds-signs-new-proclamation-continuing-state-public-health-emergency See sections Seven and Fifteen regarding Social Work Section Seven has do with obtaining a license I have sent emails to the Iowa Board of Social Work and our social work delegation in the Iowa House alerting them to my question about independent social workers as referenced in the Governor’s proclamation.The Governor charged the professional boards with issuing guidance on these matters and the Iowa Board of Social Work is working on thi...

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A recent article in Forbes cites the National Association of Social Workers and University of Iowa School of Social Work's research reviewing state codes in terms of nursing home social work qualifications. 

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ü  You feel sad when you watch the news and wonder what you could do to help;

ü  you react to people's bad moods by wondering why they're so crabby;

ü  you want to do something to make the world a better place;

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