Please, help push the “Iowa Health Freedom Act” SF124 on to the Iowa Senate floor

By Stephany Hoffelt

The Iowa Health Freedom Act is designed to follow the lead of progressive states such as Minnesota, California and others in allowing citizens to make their own informed healthcare choices. Iowa SF124 defines complementary and alternative health care as a group of healthcare and healing systems, other than those included in conventional health care, which encompass theories, modalities, products, and practices used to treat   illness and promote health and well-being.

Complementary and alternative health care includes, but is not limited to, the following: Ayurveda, homeopathy, Native American healing traditions, naturopathy, traditional Chinese healing systems, meditation, hypnosis, guided imagery, dance therapy, music therapy, art therapy, prayer, mental healing, herbal therapies, dietary therapy, individual biological therapies such as bee pollen, massage, body work, somatic movement therapies, reflexology, hydrotherapy, energy therapies, Reiki, Touch for Health, breathwork, biofield therapeutics, and bioelectromagnetic or magnet therapy.

Few Iowans realize that currently practitioners of the previous methods of holistic healthcare can be investigated by the State Medical Examiners board for practicing medicine without a license due to the broad scope of Iowa’s administrative code.   

SF 124 is intended to protect these holistic practitioners and their clients.     

In short the bill would:
 
•    Assure the people of Iowa freedom of access to any healthcare services they may desire.

•    Exempt unlicensed providers of natural, holistic healthcare from the health professions practice acts

•    Return to the public domain those healing arts that do not present significant imminent risk of harm to the public

•    Require that unlicensed providers of the natural, holistic healing arts make specific disclosures to their clients, including their methods, qualifications, and that they are not licensed by the State of Iowa nor does the State of Iowa certify their education and training

•    Set certain limitations on the scope of practice of unlicensed providers of healthcare

Residents in Districts 23, 29 and 39, in particular can have an impact on this situation as their Senators are on the sub-committee to which this legislation has been assigned.   Please consider contacting them with your support of this legislation.

Senator Herman Quirmbach
E-mail: Herman.Quirmbach@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 1002 Jarrett Cir, Ames, IA, 50014
Home Telephone: 515-292-8984

Senator Nancy J.  Boettger (District 29)
E-mail: nancy.boettger@legis.state.ia.us
Home Telephone: 712-744-3290
Home Fax: 712-744-4290

Senator Joe Bolkcom (District 39)
Phone: (515) 281-3371
Home Phone: (319) 337-6280
WebSite: http://www3.legis.state.ia.us/ga/member.do?id=123
Email: joe.bolkcom@legis.state.ia.us

Residents of other districts might consider e-mailing or calling their Iowa Senators in support of SF 124 or signing the following online petition in favor of SF 124.  A printed version of this petition will be faxed to Senator Bolkcom’s office later this week.

For more information refer to the Iowa Health Freedom Coalition’s website.

Thanks so much