Iowa's House Voted in Favor of a Bill That Violates Medical Rights: If Passed, Medical Staff Can Deny Patient Care for Moral, Ethical, and Religious Reasons Under the 'Medical Ethics Defense Act'

Iowa State Capitol/Photo/Google

A new and controversial healthcare bill has been passed by Iowa's House of Representatives. If enacted, Iowa's Medical, Ethics, and Defense Act will allow healthcare practitioners, institutions, and insurance companies in the state to refuse to provide patient care based on their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. This means that those who adhere to the provisions of the act may disregard the principles of the Hippocratic Oath, which requires medical professionals to act ethically and maintain professional integrity by assisting anyone in need of medical attention, regardless of their religious affiliation or other personal factors.

The decision to propose this bill comes at a critical time, as Iowa has the second-highest cancer rates in the nation. The state also suffers from a high mortality rate among cancer patients. In 2024, the Iowa Cancer Registry projected approximately 21,000 new invasive cancer cases (including stages 1-4 and stage 0 bladder cancers) and estimated that about 6,100 Iowans would die from cancer last year.

Moreover, Iowa also has an increasingly high rate of heart disease—which was identified as a leading cause of death in the state in recent years—exceeding the national average.

According to several news sources in Iowa, Republican House members argue that the bill will "protect" healthcare workers. This raises an important question: what exactly will this bill protect healthcare workers from, and how will it impact patients' lives? In contrast, Democratic House members contend that the bill could lead to patient discrimination. Additionally, other provisions of the bill would strip patients of their rights to timely and non-discriminatory healthcare.

The bill's summary states that it prevents healthcare providers from being forced to participate in or fund any healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that conflicts with their conscience; however, it offers limited details on how patients will be affected.

Members of the medical community will be legally protected if they refuse to administer treatments or services. However, the Medical, Ethics, and Defense Act specifies that these protections do not apply when providing services or treatments to individuals who are in "imminent danger of harming themselves or others." The act does not clarify whether healthcare practitioners are required to treat patients experiencing a life-threatening emergency. Additionally, it does not outline the procedures that will be followed if a patient is denied treatment or services.

This bill is similar to medical laws that fell under former segregation laws, which were protested during the 1960s. Non-white patients could be refused medical care and adequate medical facilities. President Lyndon B. Johnson played a pivotal role in ending the mistreatment of patients, when he signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964, which helped to end segregation in America.

Tennessee's Senate also passed this bill earlier in March.  

This is a developing story.

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