§ 27-41-30.1 - Post-partum hospital stays. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 27-41-30.1

   § 27-41-30.1  Post-partum hospital stays.– (a) Every individual or group hospital or medical services plan contractdelivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall provide coveragefor a forty-eight (48) hour time period in a hospital after a vaginal birth,and ninety-six (96) hours after a Cesarean section for a mother and her newlyborn child. Any decision to shorten these minimum coverages shall be made bythe attending health care provider in consultation with the mother. Thedecision shall be made in accordance with the standards for guidelines forperinatal care published by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologyand the American Academy of Pediatrics. The standards shall be relative toearly discharge, defined as less than forty-eight (48) hours for a vaginaldelivery and ninety-six (96) for a Cesarean delivery. In the case of earlydischarge, post-delivery care shall include home visits, parent education,assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding and the performance of anynecessary and appropriate clinical tests or any other tests or servicesconsistent with the guidelines in this subsection.

   (b) For the purposes of this section, "attending health careprovider" includes the attending obstetrician, pediatrician, familypractitioner, general practitioner or certified nurse midwife attending themother and newly born child.

   (c) Any member who is aggrieved by a denial of benefits to beprovided under this section may appeal the denial in accordance withregulations of the department of health, which have been promulgated pursuantto chapter 17.12 of title 23. No policy or plan covered under this chaptershall terminate the services, reduce capitation payment, or penalize anattending physician or other health care provider who orders care consistentwith the provisions of this section.