House File 341 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY HEATON and KAUFMANN Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act requiring newborn birth information to be furnished to the 2 Iowa department of public health by hospitals. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1780YH 82 5 nh/sh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 135B.7, Code 2007, is amended by adding 1 2 the following new unnumbered paragraph: 1 3 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. The department shall adopt rules 1 4 requiring hospitals to submit information to the department 1 5 regarding newborn births at each hospital to assist with the 1 6 monitoring and administration of programs including but not 1 7 limited to the universal newborn and infant hearing screening 1 8 program pursuant to section 135.131, the statewide obstetrical 1 9 and newborn indigent patient care program pursuant to section 1 10 135.152, and the newborn metabolic screening program pursuant 1 11 to section 136A.5. The information submitted shall include an 1 12 assessment of the medical condition of a newborn child, and 1 13 any circumstances observed prior to, during, or after the 1 14 birth suggesting a need for continued medical intervention or 1 15 observation. A hospital submitting information pursuant to 1 16 this paragraph shall assign an identification number to each 1 17 newborn, so that the identity of the newborn shall remain 1 18 confidential. A release of information pursuant to this 1 19 paragraph shall be consistent with the federal Health 1 20 Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. 1 21 No. 104=191. 1 22 EXPLANATION 1 23 This bill provides that the department of public health 1 24 shall adopt rules requiring hospitals to submit information to 1 25 the department regarding newborn births. The information 1 26 submitted shall assist the department with the monitoring and 1 27 administration of a nonexclusive list of programs relating to 1 28 newborns specified in the bill. The bill additionally 1 29 provides that a hospital submitting such information shall 1 30 assign an identification number to each newborn so that the 1 31 identity of the newborn shall remain confidential, and that 1 32 the release of information shall be consistent with the 1 33 federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1 34 1996. 1 35 LSB 1780YH 82 2 1 nh:rj/sh/8