Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act
The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act requires health plans and health insurance carriers that provide coverage for hospital charges in connection with childlbirth to provide certain minimum benefits:
    Benefits for hospital stays cannot be restricted to less than 48 hours following a normal delivery or 96 hours following a cesarean section for the mother and newborn;
    Plans and insurance carriers cannot require that a provider obtain preauthorization from the plan in advance of a hospital stay in connection with childbirth;
    Group health plans cannot deny the mother or her newborn eligibility or continued eligibility to enroll in the plan or renew coverage under the plan in an attempt to avoid compliance with the requirements of the Act.

All group health plans that provide maternity or newborn infant coverage must include a statement in their summary plan description (SPD) advising individuals of the Newborns’ Act requirements.

See the following Department Of Labor links for useful information:

General Information/overview

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fsnmhafs.html
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/newborns.htm

Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_newborns.html
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