S*1043(Rat #0365, Act #0335 of 1996)  General Bill, By Short, Cork, Courtney, 
Elliott, Gregory, Holland, Jackson, Lander, Leventis, Matthews, McGill, Mescher, 
Moore, O'Dell, Passailaigue, Peeler, Rankin, Reese, L.E. Richter, M.T. Rose, 
G. Smith, J.V. Smith, Thomas, Waldrep and Washington

Similar(H 4396)
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 38-71-135 so as to require all individual and group health insurance and
 health maintenance organization policies to provide payment for
 hospitalization of a mother and her child, if at the discretion of the
 attending physician it is medically necessary, for a period not to exceed the
 second postpartum day, not including the day of delivery, after a vaginal
 delivery, or the third post-operative day, not including the day of surgery,
 after a Caesarian Section, and to provide for exceptions.-amended title

   01/23/96  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-7
   01/23/96  Senate Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance SJ-7
   03/05/96  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Banking and Insurance SJ-11
   03/06/96  Senate Amended SJ-26
   03/06/96  Senate Read second time SJ-26
   03/06/96  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-26
   03/07/96  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-8
   03/12/96  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-6
   03/12/96  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-6
   04/24/96  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor,
                     Commerce and Industry HJ-6
   05/01/96  House  Amended HJ-21
   05/01/96  House  Read second time HJ-21
   05/02/96  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments HJ-11
   05/08/96  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-18
   05/14/96         Ratified R 365
   05/20/96         Signed By Governor
   05/20/96         Effective date 10/01/96
   05/31/96         Copies available
   05/31/96         Act No. 335

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-71-135 SO AS TO REQUIRE ALL INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE AND HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION POLICIES TO PROVIDE PAYMENT FOR HOSPITALIZATION OF A MOTHER AND HER CHILD, IF AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN IT IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY, FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED THE SECOND POSTPARTUM DAY, NOT INCLUDING THE DAY OF DELIVERY, AFTER A VAGINAL DELIVERY, OR THE THIRD POST-OPERATIVE DAY, NOT INCLUDING THE DAY OF SURGERY, AFTER A CAESARIAN SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR EXCEPTIONS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Insurance coverage and HMO's to provide minimum postpartum length of stay

SECTION 1. Title 38, Chapter 71 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 38-71-135. All individual and group health insurance and health maintenance organization policies providing coverage for the hospitalization and attendant professional services of a mother and her newborn child or children must, if at the discretion of the attending physician it is medically necessary, provide for the mother and her newborn child or children to remain in the hospital for a period not to exceed the second postpartum day after a vaginal delivery, not including the day of delivery, and the third post-operative day following a Caesarian Section, not including the day of surgery. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the attending physician from requesting additional time for hospitalization or releasing the mother or her newborn child or children prior to the expiration time provided herein."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect October 1, 1996.

Approved the 20th day of May, 1996.