SSB 3083: Relating to subacute mental health care facilities and services, and including effective date provisions

What it does

This bill relates to subacute mental health care (SMHC) facilities and services. The bill eliminates the requirement that SMHC must be limited to a period of calendar days unless a longer period of time is adopted by the department of health and human services (HHS). The bill requires a subacute care facility to develop a written treatment care plan with a resident within hours of the resident’s admission to the subacute care facility. _____ The bill requires, upon a mental health professional’s request for prior authorization (request) for insurance coverage of an individual’s subacute mental health care service, a managed care organization to provide a determination to the mental health professional within hours after the date of the receipt of the request if the request is urgent; within calendar days after the date of the receipt of the request if the request is nonurgent; and within calendar days after the date of the receipt of the request if the request is nonurgent and involves complex or unique circumstances.

Senate subcommittee · named January 28, 2026

• Sen. Kara Warme (R) · kara.warme@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Janet Petersen (D) · janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Scott Webster (R) · scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 10 for, 3 against

For: Easterseals Iowa; Episcopal Diocese of Iowa; Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council; Iowa School Counselors Association; Iowa State Association of Counties; Iowa State Sheriffs' & Deputies' Association; Linn County Board of Supervisors; Mental Health America; National Alliance on Mental Illness - Iowa; United Way Quad Cities

Against: Elevance Health, and its Affiliates dba Anthem, Inc.; Federation of Iowa Insurers; Iowa Total Care, A Subsidiary of Centene Corporation

In plain words

1. January 27, 2026Filed in the Senate and sent to the Health and Human Services committee
2. January 28, 2026Senate subcommittee named: Warme, Petersen and Webster
3. January 29, 2026Subcommittee recommended passing it with changes
4. February 3, 2026Approved by the Senate committee, and given a new number: SF 2202