Iowa bars insurers from denying prior authorization based on AI alone
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed House File 2635 on May 13, 2026, effective July 1, 2026. The law says insurers may not use artificial intelligence as the sole basis for denying, delaying or downgrading medically necessary care, and a human clinical reviewer must be involved. It also removes prior authorization for recommended cancer screenings, sets deadlines for insurers to tell hospitals the status of a claim, and requires clinical explanations when care is denied. The bill passed the Iowa House 87-0 and was opposed mainly by insurers.
Why it's notable: Iowa joined a growing list of states putting rules on insurers' use of AI in prior authorization, which gives clinics grounds to challenge denials that were never reviewed by a clinician.