IC 27-8-24
    Chapter 24. Minimum Maternity Benefits

IC 27-8-24-1
Applicability of chapter
    Sec. 1. This chapter applies to:
        (1) every policy of accident and sickness insurance (as definedin IC 27-8-5-1), whether written on an individual basis, a groupbasis, a franchise basis, or a blanket basis; and
        (2) every group contract (as defined in IC 27-13-1-16) orindividual contract (as defined in IC 27-13-1-21) through whicha health maintenance organization furnishes health careservices;
that is issued, delivered, executed, or renewed in Indiana and thatprovides maternity benefits.
As added by P.L.194-1996, SEC.1.

IC 27-8-24-2
"At-home postdelivery care" defined
    Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "at-home postdelivery care" refersto health care provided to a woman at her residence by a physicianlicensed under IC 25-22.5 or a registered nurse or an advancedpractice nurse licensed under IC 25-23 whose scope of practiceincludes providing postpartum care in the area of maternal and childhealth care. The health care services provided must include, at aminimum:
        (1) parent education;
        (2) assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding; and
        (3) performance of any maternal and neonatal tests routinelyperformed during the usual course of inpatient care for thewoman or her newborn child, including the collection of anadequate sample for the hereditary and metabolic newbornscreening.
As added by P.L.194-1996, SEC.1.

IC 27-8-24-3
"Maternity benefits" defined
    Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "maternity benefits" refers to theprovision of health care to a woman before, during, and after deliveryof a child, including physician, hospital, laboratory, and ultrasoundservices.
As added by P.L.194-1996, SEC.1.

IC 27-8-24-4
Postpartum hospital stay; HIV testing of newborns; payment
    Sec. 4. (a) Except as provided in section 5 of this chapter, everypolicy or group contract that provides maternity benefits mustprovide minimum benefits to a mother and her newborn child thatcover:
        (1) a minimum length of postpartum stay at a hospital licensed

under IC 16-21 that is consistent with the minimum postpartumhospital stay recommended by the American Academy ofPediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians andGynecologists in their Guidelines for Perinatal Care;
        (2) the examinations to the newborn child required underIC 16-41-17-2; and
        (3) the testing of the newborn child required underIC 16-41-6-4.
    (b) Payment to a hospital for a test required under IC 16-41-6-4must be in an amount equal to the hospital's actual cost of performingthe test.
As added by P.L.194-1996, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.91-1999, SEC.5;P.L.237-2003, SEC.17.

IC 27-8-24-5
Conditions warranting shorter period of inpatient care; at-homepostdelivery care visit
    Sec. 5. (a) If the patients' attending physician determines furtherinpatient care is not necessary for the mother or newborn child, apolicy or group contract that provides maternity benefits under thischapter may provide under the policy or group contract a shorterlength of postpartum hospital stay than the period under section 4 ofthis chapter if all the following conditions are met:
        (1) in the patients' attending physician's opinion the newbornmeets the criteria for medical stability in the Guidelines forPerinatal Care prepared by the American Academy of Pediatricsand the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologiststhat determine the appropriate length of stay based uponevaluation of:
            (A) the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum course ofthe mother and infant;
            (B) the gestational stage, birth weight, and clinical conditionof the infant;
            (C) the demonstrated ability of the mother to care for theinfant after discharge; and
            (D) the availability of postdischarge follow-up to verify thecondition of the infant after discharge; and
        (2) the policy or contract authorizes for the mother and thenewborn one (1) at-home postdelivery care visit described insubsection (b).
    (b) The at-home postdelivery care visit shall be conducted notlater than forty-eight (48) hours following the discharge of thewoman and her newborn child from a licensed hospital. However, atthe mother's discretion, the visit may occur at the facility of theprovider subject to the terms of the policy or group contract.
    (c) The provider of the policy or group contract described in thischapter shall provide notice to each enrollee under the policy orgroup contract regarding the coverage provided under this chapter.
As added by P.L.194-1996, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.2-1997, SEC.66.