Plain English Breakdown
The official text indicates the bill is contingent on funding appropriation before taking effect.
HB649: Maternal Mental Health Screening and Care Coverage
This bill proposes to require insurance plans and state medical assistance programs to cover mental health screenings for mothers during pregnancy and after birth.
What This Bill Does
- Requires private health insurance policies to pay for comprehensive maternal mental health screening and care.
- Allows physicians or other healthcare providers to order these screenings at specific points during and after pregnancy as they deem necessary.
- Updates state medical assistance programs (Medicaid) to include screenings for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
Who It Names or Affects
- Health insurance companies selling policies in the state
- State medical assistance programs
- Pregnant people and new mothers who need mental health care
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill's effectiveness is contingent upon the appropriation of funds.
- Recent legislative action shows the bill was withdrawn from the House floor and recommitted to a committee, meaning it has not yet passed in its final form.