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