§ 27-8-24-5 — Conditions warranting shorter period of inpatient care; at-home postdelivery care visit

(a) If the patients’ attending physician
determines further inpatient care is not necessary for the mother or
newborn child, a policy or group contract that provides maternity
benefits under this chapter may provide under the policy or group
contract a shorter length of postpartum hospital stay than the period
under section 4 of this chapter if all the following conditions are met:
(1) in the patients' attending physician's opinion the newborn
meets the criteria for medical stability in the Guidelines for
Perinatal Care prepared by the American Academy of Pediatrics
and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that
determine the appropriate length of stay based upon evaluation of:
(A) the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum course of the
mother and infant;
(B) the gestational stage, birth weight, and clinical condition of
the infant;
(C) the demonstrated ability of the mother to care for the infant
after discharge; and
(D) the availability of postdischarge follow-up to verify the
condition of the infant after discharge; and
(2) the policy or contract authorizes for the mother and the
newborn one (1) at-home postdelivery care visit described in
subsection (b).
(b) The at-home postdelivery care visit shall be conducted not later
than forty-eight (48) hours following the discharge of the woman and
her newborn child from a licensed hospital. However, at the mother's
discretion, the visit may occur at the facility of the provider subject to
the terms of the policy or group contract.
(c) The provider of the policy or group contract described in this
chapter shall provide notice to each enrollee under the policy or group
contract regarding the coverage provided under this chapter.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.194-1996, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.2-1997, SEC.66.