Advocacy

Advocacy Resources

IHA offers its members the tools they need to advocate on behalf of policies and programs that strengthen Iowa’s hospitals and improve access to care for the people and communities they serve. Whether hospitals are inviting legislators to visit their facilities, traveling to Washington D.C. to discuss critical issues with lawmakers, or talking with the media, IHA provides the information needed to deliver key messages confidently and effectively.

What you need to know:

Building strong relationships with elected officials is a vital aspect of healthcare leadership, enabling hospitals to advocate for their interests, influence policy, and ultimately improve the health and well-being of the communities you serve.

As hospital leaders, IHA members are well-positioned to explain the complexities of health care delivery and its direct effect on your community. You can do this by being:

Proactive: Engaging with policymakers before a crisis arises ensures hospitals have a seat at the table when crucial decisions are made.
Respectful: Finding common ground and respecting opposing views fosters a positive and productive dialogue.
A Resource: Offering data-driven insights and patient-centered perspectives helps shape policies before they are enacted.

IHA encourages hospital leaders to invite your local, state and federal officials to visit and tour your facility, meet with front-line staff and engage in conversations about the challenges you face.

2025 Mission Essential

IHA’s annual roundup of facts and stats about Iowa’s hospitals, from economic impact to patient utilization and more.

Download Mission Essential

Lawmaker Visit Kit

Everything you need to prepare for elected officials to visit your hospital, including a site visit checklist, tour guide planner, and sample letters.

Download the Lawmaker Visit Kit

2025 Policy Priorities

Advocate for policies and programs that strengthen the financial position of Iowa’s hospitals and enhance Iowans’ access to care.

Retain the Certificate of Need program to protect Iowans’ access to lower cost, high quality care
Maintain authorization and use of hospital provider participation funds to finance Medicaid hospital quality programs and improve access to care for Medicaid managed care beneficiaries
Collaborate with the state to identify and implement new models of care delivery and reimbursement to improve access to maternal and behavioral health services
Oppose decreases in hospital reimbursements, including implementation of site-neutral payment policies
Identify and pursue solutions to reduce delays in post-acute care transitions
Oppose actions by pharmaceutical companies to impede distribution of 340B-acquired drugs through contract pharmacies and rebate schemes
Strengthen fair payment for pharmacy and pharmacist services
Support repeal of the federal 96-hour rule
Ensure that essential health care services are available in all communities by protecting and increasing federal investments in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Health Insurance Marketplace
Make permanent Medicare coverage for certain telehealth services and the CMS hospital-at-home program
Support refinements to the Rural Emergency Hospital model to ensure access to and payment for essential health care services
Pursue policies that enhance defenses against malpractice claims

Support policies and programs that strengthen, grow, and protect Iowa’s health care workforce.

Support policies that strengthen and expand health care professional education, training, retention, loan repayment, and health careers registered apprenticeship programs
Pursue policies to improve health care workforce safety and reduce violence against health care professionals and individuals who work, learn and volunteer in hospitals
Oppose the imposition of arbitrary hospital and nursing home staffing mandates
Address physician shortages in part by reforming the Conrad 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program to reallocate unused slots to states that consistently utilize theirs and increasing the number of residency slots eligible for Medicare funding

Pursue strategies to hold payers accountable for compliance with regulatory requirements and reduce provider administrative burden.

Support policies that reduce red tape and improve patient access to timely care
Support increased accountability in payer payment policies
Support policies that promote increased transparency and accountability in prescription drug pricing, cost, and reimbursement

Evaluate and advocate on policies and proposals impacting hospitals’ data reporting requirements and use of digital health technologies to innovate, provide high-quality care, and protect patient privacy.

Oppose efforts to mandate hospitals’ financial participation in state data exchange programs
Monitor state and federal legislative and regulatory activity around artificial intelligence, transparency, information blocking, cybersecurity, and other emerging health information technologies and issues

IHA Hospital Legislative Dashboard

Locate your Legislator

IHA’s legislative dashboard makes it easy for members to find legislators serving their area. The dashboard can be filtered by U.S. House, Iowa House, and Iowa Senate. Simply hover over a hospital location to display the district’s senators and representatives.

Become a Hospital Advocate

As grassroots advocates, IHA members represent Iowa’s hospitals while engaging elected officials on high-priority policy issues.