To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage to provide post-delivery follow-up care for mothers and newborns discharged less than 48 hours following a vaginal delivery or less than 96 following a delivery by cesarean section.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Nov 6, 1997
Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code to require that, when an attending provider and the mother decide to discharge the mother or her newborn prior to specified minimum inpatient periods following delivery, the group health plan or insurer offering coverage provide coverage for timely post-delivery care in any of specified settings, as selected by the mother. Applies the requirement to coverage in the individual market under specified provisions of the PHSA.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to House Ways and Means
Referred to House Education and the Workforce
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Commerce
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Bill text & related measures
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Source last updated: Jun 3, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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