Iowa enacts ban on prior authorization for certain services, effective July 1

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed HF 2578 into law, banning the use of prior authorization for certain outpatient and emergency services. The law takes effect July 1, 2026. It prohibits insurers from requiring prior auth for emergency services performed in an in-network facility and for a defined list of outpatient services, including many routine procedures. Iowa-based practices should review the final bill text to identify the specific CPT codes covered by the ban and update their front-desk and billing workflows ahead of the July 1 effective date to stop submitting auth requests for these services.