Creating a line of duty reimbursement for COVID-19 pandemic-related health care costs of qualified volunteer emergency services providers, providing an appropriation, and providing effective and applicability dates

The bill describes the criteria under which there is a legal presumption that a qualified volunteer emergency services provider incurred COVID-19 pandemic-related health care costs in the line of duty for the purposes of providing evidence and proof for the line of duty reimbursement. A reimbursement shall only be payable if the portion of the health care costs being reimbursed are not payable by another third-party source. The line of duty health care reimbursement does not constitute an entitlement, shall only be provided to the extent that funds are appropriated and available for such purpose, and shall be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Receipt of a line of duty health care reimbursement shall not preclude or affect receipt of any benefit received while engaged in state active duty or from unemployment compensation insurance, long-term disability insurance benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, or any other compensation or benefit for which a qualified volunteer emergency services provider may be eligible. The bill creates a qualified volunteer emergency services provider reimbursement fund in the state treasury under the control of the commissioner of public safety. The fund consists of all moneys appropriated or transferred to the fund, and moneys in the fund are appropriated for reimbursement of the health care costs of qualified volunteer emergency services providers as provided in the bill. Interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited to the fund and moneys credited to the fund shall not revert at the close of a fiscal year but shall remain in the fund for purposes of the fund. The department of public safety shall adopt administrative rules to administer the bill. The bill provides definitions for “employer” and “qualified volunteer emergency services provider” for the purposes of the bill. The bill transfers moneys from the Iowa coronavirus relief fund to the qualified volunteer services provider reimbursement fund for FY 2020-2021 to be used for issuance of warrants for payment of health care claims by qualified volunteer emergency services providers approved for payment by the commissioner of public safety pursuant to the bill. The bill takes effect upon enactment and is retroactively applicable to July 1, 2020.