§ 514c-12

514C.12 Postdelivery benefits and care. 1. Notwithstanding section 514C.6, a person who provides an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance or individual or group hospital or health care servicecontract issued pursuant to chapter 509, 509A, 514, or 514A or an individual or grouphealth maintenance organization contract issued and regulated under chapter 514B, whichis delivered, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 1996, and which provides maternitybenefits, which are not limited to complications of pregnancy, or newborn care benefits,shall not terminate inpatient benefits or require discharge of a mother or the newborn froma hospital following delivery earlier than determined to be medically appropriate by theattending physician after consultation with the mother and in accordance with guidelinesadopted by rule by the commissioner. The guidelines adopted by rule shall be consistentwith or may adopt by reference the guidelines for perinatal care established by the Americanacademy of pediatrics and the American college of obstetricians and gynecologists whichprovide that when complications are not present, the postpartum hospital stay rangesfrom a minimum of

he Americanacademy of pediatrics and the American college of obstetricians and gynecologists whichprovide that when complications are not present, the postpartum hospital stay rangesfrom a minimum of forty-eight hours for a vaginal delivery to a minimum of ninety-sixhours for a cesarean birth, excluding the day of delivery. The guidelines adopted by ruleby the commissioner shall also provide that in the event of a discharge from the hospitalprior to the minimum stay established in the guidelines, a postdischarge follow-up visitshall be provided to the mother and newborn by providers competent in postpartum careand newborn assessment if determined medically appropriate as directed by the attendingphysician, in accordance with the guidelines. 2. When performing utilization review of inpatient hospital services related to maternity and newborn care, including but not limited to length of postdelivery stay and postdischargefollow-up care, any person who provides an individual or group policy of accident or healthinsurance or individual or group hospital or health care service contract issued pursuant tochapter 509, 509A, 514, or 514A, or an individual or group health maintenance

p policy of accident or healthinsurance or individual or group hospital or health care service contract issued pursuant tochapter 509, 509A, 514, or 514A, or an individual or group health maintenance organizationcontract issued and regulated under chapter 514B, shall use the guidelines adopted by ruleby the commissioner, and shall not deselect, require additional documentation, requireadditional utilization review, terminate services to, reduce payment to, or in any mannerprovide a disincentive to an attending physician solely on the basis that the attendingphysician provided or directed the provision of services in compliance with the guidelinesadopted by rule. 3. Preauthorization or precertification for a hospital stay or for a postdischarge follow-up visit in accordance with the guidelines adopted by rule by the commissioner shall not berequired. 96 Acts, ch 1202, §1 Sat Dec 23 00:45:04 2023 Iowa Code 2024, Section 514C.12 (17, 0)