IA HSB139

Medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors may refuse to participate in or pay for any health care service that violates their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs (conscience), and cannot be discriminated against for such refusal

Providers exercising conscience rights receive civil, criminal, and administrative immunity; health care institutions are also protected from liability for their employees' or contractors' conscience-based refusals

Religion-based health care entities that publicly identify as such and document their religious mission may make employment, staffing, contracting, and admitting privilege decisions consistent with their religious beliefs

Whistleblower protections prohibit discrimination against providers who report suspected violations of the law, report violations of care standards, or disclose information about gross mismanagement, waste, or dangers to public health

State licensing boards and certifying entities cannot revoke or threaten to revoke licenses for First Amendment-protected speech unless they demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence it directly caused physical harm to a patient; licensing entities must provide copies of complaints within 21 days or pay $500 per day penalty