House File 448 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY MASCHER Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to services available to women during pregnancy 2 and postpartum. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2322HH 81 5 jp/pj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 135.11, Code 2005, is amended by adding 1 2 the following new subsection: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 19A. Develop a model plan for 1 4 institutional health facilities as defined in section 135.61, 1 5 maternal health centers, and other providers under the purview 1 6 of the department that provide services to women during 1 7 pregnancy or immediately following the birth of a child. The 1 8 model plan shall address a provider's provision of mental 1 9 health assessments and referrals to women receiving services 1 10 from the provider during pregnancy and postpartum. 1 11 Sec. 2. Section 135.106, subsection 2, paragraph d, Code 1 12 2005, is amended to read as follows: 1 13 d. Provision of systematic screening, prenatally or upon 1 14 the birth of a child, to identify high=risk families. The 1 15 screening process shall include but is not limited to 1 16 provision of mental health assessments and referrals of women 1 17 during pregnancy and postpartum. 1 18 Sec. 3. Section 255A.2, Code 2005, is amended by adding 1 19 the following new unnumbered paragraph: 1 20 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. The services provided under the 1 21 statewide obstetrical and newborn indigent patient care 1 22 program shall include but are not limited to mental health 1 23 assessments and treatment during pregnancy and postpartum for 1 24 the women covered by the program. 1 25 Sec. 4. Section 514C.12, subsection 1, Code 2005, is 1 26 amended to read as follows: 1 27 1. Notwithstanding section 514C.6, a person who provides 1 28 an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance 1 29 or individual or group hospital or health care service 1 30 contract issued pursuant to chapter 509, 509A, 514, or 514A or 1 31 an individual or group health maintenance organization 1 32 contract issued and regulated under chapter 514B,which is 1 33 delivered, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 1996, and1 34 which provides maternity benefits, which are not limited to 1 35 complications of pregnancy, or newborn care benefits, shall 2 1 not terminate inpatient benefits or require discharge of a 2 2 mother or the newborn from a hospital following delivery 2 3 earlier than determined to be medically appropriate by the 2 4 attending physician after consultation with the mother and in 2 5 accordance with guidelines adopted by rule by the 2 6 commissioner. The guidelines adopted by rule shall be 2 7 consistent with or may adopt by reference the guidelines for 2 8 perinatal care established by the American academy of 2 9 pediatrics and the American college of obstetricians and 2 10 gynecologists which provide that when complications are not 2 11 present, the postpartum hospital stay ranges from a minimum of 2 12 forty=eight hours for a vaginal delivery to a minimum of 2 13 ninety=six hours for a cesarean birth, excluding the day of 2 14 delivery. The guidelines adopted by rule by the commissioner 2 15 shall also provide that in the event of a discharge from the 2 16 hospital prior to the minimum stay established in the 2 17 guidelines, a postdischarge follow=up visit shall be provided 2 18 to the mother and newborn by providers competent in postpartum 2 19 care and newborn assessment if determined medically 2 20 appropriate as directed by the attending physician, in 2 21 accordance with the guidelines. In addition, the guidelines 2 22 shall provide for coverage of mental health assessment and 2 23 treatment of women provided during pregnancy and postpartum 2 24 under the policies and contracts subject to this section that 2 25 are delivered, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2005. 2 26 EXPLANATION 2 27 This bill relates to services available to women during 2 28 pregnancy and postpartum. 2 29 Code section 135.11, relating to the duties of the Iowa 2 30 department of public health, is amended to require the 2 31 department to develop a model plan for provision of mental 2 32 health assessments and referrals to mothers during pregnancy 2 33 and postpartum. The model plan applies to institutional 2 34 health facilities, maternal health centers, and others under 2 35 the purview of the department that provide services to women 3 1 during pregnancy or immediately following the birth of a 3 2 child. Code section 135.61 defines an institutional health 3 3 facility as a hospital, health care facility, organized 3 4 outpatient health facility, surgical facility, community 3 5 mental health facility, or birth center. 3 6 Code section 135.106, relating to the healthy opportunities 3 7 for parents to experience success (HOPES) = healthy families 3 8 Iowa (HFI) program, is amended to require the program's 3 9 screening process to include provision of mental health 3 10 assessments and referrals of women during pregnancy and 3 11 postpartum. 3 12 Code section 255A.2, relating to establishment of the 3 13 statewide obstetrical and newborn indigent patient care 3 14 program administered by the department, is amended. The 3 15 amendment requires the program to include mental health 3 16 assessments and treatment provided during pregnancy and 3 17 postpartum. 3 18 Code section 514C.6, relating to individual and group 3 19 health insurance policies and contracts subject to state 3 20 regulation that provide maternity care, is amended. The 3 21 guidelines adopted by the insurance commissioner for such 3 22 policies and contracts are required to provide for coverage of 3 23 mental health assessment and treatment of women during 3 24 pregnancy and postpartum, effective for policies and contracts 3 25 delivered, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2005. 3 26 LSB 2322HH 81 3 27 jp:nh/pj/5