Requires health care providers facilitate a screening for maternal depression, unless refused by the birth mother, within the first six weeks of birth and that such screening be covered by insurance.
Summary
This bill would require health care providers to facilitate a maternal depression screening within the first six weeks after birth, following existing state guidance. If a patient declines the screening, the provider must document the refusal in the medical record, and the refusal cannot be used to deny care or services. The bill also provides that documenting a refusal relieves the provider of liability under the relevant education law provision.
In addition to creating this screening requirement in the Public Health Law, the bill amends multiple sections of the Insurance Law to make maternal depression screenings part of minimum maternity care coverage. It also revises an existing insurance provision to prohibit insurers from using contract terms, written policies, or procedures to limit a patient’s direct access to maternal depression screening and referral from an obstetrical, gynecologic, or pediatric provider of the patient’s choice, subject to the policy’s general terms and conditions. The bill would take effect one year after becoming law and would apply to policies issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on or after that date.
Impact
The bill would add a new statutory requirement in the Public Health Law for postpartum maternal depression screening and would expand maternity care coverage requirements in the Insurance Law for individual, group, and other regulated health insurance policies. It would affect health care providers, insurers, and patients by making screening a standard part of postpartum care and by ensuring insurance coverage for the service, while preserving a patient’s right to refuse screening without penalty. The bill also limits insurer restrictions on access to screening and referral from specified providers, thereby strengthening direct access to maternal mental health services.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears supportive and preventive in nature. The measure is framed as a maternal and infant health protection bill, emphasizing early identification of postpartum depression and insurance coverage for the screening. No opposition, amendments, or recorded controversy appear in the supplied context.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are the mandate on providers to facilitate screening within a specific postpartum window, the requirement that insurers cover the screening as part of maternity care, and the restriction on insurer policies that could limit direct access to screening and referral. Another possible issue is the liability provision tied to documenting a patient’s refusal, which may raise questions about provider obligations and documentation practices. However, no specific opposing viewpoints or disputed provisions are reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history.
Same As
Requires maternal health care providers facilitate a screening for maternal depression, unless refused by the birth mother, within the first six weeks of birth and that such screening be covered by insurance.