(a) As used in this section, “carrier” means each insurer, health care center, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or other entity delivering, issuing for delivery, renewing, amending or continuing any group health insurance policy in this state providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (6), (10), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469.

(b) Each group health insurance carrier that offers maternity benefits shall provide coverage of a minimum of forty-eight hours of inpatient care for a mother and her newborn infant following a vaginal delivery and a minimum of ninety-six hours of inpatient care for a mother and her newborn infant following a caesarean delivery. The time periods shall commence at the time of delivery.

(c) Any decision to shorten the length of inpatient stay to less than that provided under subsection (b) of this section shall be made by the attending health care providers after conferring with the mother.

(d) If a mother and newborn are discharged pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, prior to the inpatient length of stay provided under subsection (b) of this section, coverage shall be provided for a follow-up visit within forty-eight hours of discharge and an additional follow-up visit within seven days of discharge. Such follow-up services shall include, but not be limited to, physical assessment of the newborn, parent education, assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding, assessment of the home support system and the performance of any medically necessary and appropriate clinical tests. Such services shall be consistent with protocols and guidelines developed by attending providers or by national pediatric, obstetric and nursing professional organizations for these services and shall be provided by qualified health care personnel trained in postpartum maternal and newborn pediatric care.

(e) No group health insurance carrier subject to this section shall require prior authorization for the interhospital transfer of (1) a newborn infant experiencing a life-threatening emergency or condition, or (2) the hospitalized mother of such newborn infant to accompany her newborn infant.

(P.A. 96-177, S. 2, 6; P.A. 11-19, S. 52; P.A. 15-118, S. 53; P.A. 16-162, S. 2; P.A. 17-15, S. 69, 70.)

History: P.A. 96-177 effective May 24, 1996; P.A. 11-19 inserted “or continuing” and made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective January 1, 2012; P.A. 15-118 deleted former Subsec. (e) re policyholder notice requirement; P.A. 16-162 added Subsec. (e) re interhospital transfer of newborn infant and mother, effective January 1, 2017; P.A. 17-15 replaced “group insurance carrier” with “group health insurance carrier” in Subsecs. (b) and (e).