Three health care measures introduced by state Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge, survived Thursday’s legislative deadline called the funnel and are eligible for future debate.

Two of those bills would make it illegal for insurance companies to require their approval, sometimes called pre-authorization, before patients can receive some kinds of treatment.

“What we are seeing is basically insurance companies dictating what a provider can do for a patient,” Meyer said.

She said it can take seven to 10 days to get pre-authorization from an insurance company.

One of the measures she introduced would prohibit pre-authorization for a patient to be admitted to what providers call a sub-acute bed for mental health care.

A second measure would prohibit insurance pre-authorization for any type of cancer screening, emergent procedure or test.

According to Meyer, sometimes when a pre-authorization can’t be obtained, a health care provider will send a patient through the emergency room to get a test or screening.

“That jacks up the price of health care,” she said.

Another bill introduced by Meyer would direct the state government to apply for a federal waiver that would allow it to double the number of beds available in the state’s two mental health institutions in Cherokee and Mount Pleasant. If the bill is approved and the waiver is granted, an additional 92 beds would be available.

All three of those bills have passed the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Meyer is also leading a bill based on a proposal from the Iowa Motor Truck Association that would ensure people seeking a commercial driver’s license can speak and read English.

Serious crashes in other states that involved truck drivers who could not speak or read English prompted the bill, she said.

The bill would require the state Department of Transportation to administer an English proficiency test to anyone seeking a commercial drivers license or commercial learners permit. The goal, she said, is to make sure potential truck drivers know enough English to have a conversation and read signs.

She said the Iowa Motor Truck Association wants “proficient drivers on the road.”

“It’s just a common sense road safety bill,” she said.

The bill was approved by the House Transportation Committee.

All of those bills are now eligible for debate on the House floor.