PRINTER'S NO. 2124
No. 1747 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY CURRY, TRELLO, GORDNER, BELARDI, BEBKO-JONES,
TIGUE, MELIO, LEDERER, OLASZ, MANDERINO, YOUNGBLOOD, BUNT,
JOSEPHS, STABACK, PLATTS, MERRY, PISTELLA, LEVDANSKY,
READSHAW, COLAIZZO, HORSEY, KENNEY, STEELMAN, CORRIGAN,
McGEEHAN AND KUKOVICH, JUNE 15, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE, JUNE 15, 1995
AN ACT
1 Providing for certain health insurance benefits to aid the
2 health and well-being of mother and child following the birth
3 of a child.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Mothers and
8 Infants' Health Security Act.
9 Section 2. Health benefit contract.
10 Every individual or group health benefits contract that
11 provides maternity benefits and is delivered, issued, executed
12 or renewed in this Commonwealth pursuant to the act of May 18,
13 1976 (P.L.123, No.54), known as the Individual Accident and
14 Sickness Insurance Minimum Standards Act, or approved for
15 issuance or renewal in this Commonwealth by the Insurance
16 Commissioner on or after the effective date of this act shall
17 provide coverage for a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care
1 following a vaginal delivery and a minimum of 96 hours of
2 inpatient care following a cesarean section for a mother and her
3 newly born child in a health care facility licensed pursuant to
4 the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health
5 Care Facilities Act. The provisions of this section shall apply
6 to all contracts in which the insurer has reserved the right to
7 change the premium.
8 Section 3. Postdelivery care.
9 Postdelivery care shall consist of a minimum of three home
10 visits, in accordance with accepted maternal and neonatal
11 physical assessments, by a registered professional nurse with at
12 least three years' experience in community maternal and child
13 health nursing. Services provided by the registered professional
14 nurse shall include, but not be limited to, parent education,
15 assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding, the
16 performance of any necessary and appropriate clinical tests and
17 medical evaluation of mother and infant. The home visits shall
18 be conducted within 24 hours, within 25 to 48 hours and within
19 96 to 120 hours following the discharge of the mother and her
20 newly born child.
21 Section 4. Rules and Regulations.
22 The Insurance Department shall promulgate regulations to
23 implement the provisions of this act.
24 Section 5. Effective date.
25 This act shall take effect in 30 days.
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