Health insurers; require to use certain standard for hospital inpatient admissions.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's summary does not provide specific details about the impact on patients or the aim of making healthcare decisions more consistent and efficient.

Health Insurers Must Use Medicare's Two-Midnight Rule

This bill requires health insurance companies doing business in Mississippi to use the same rules as Medicare for deciding when hospital stays are necessary and reasonable.

What This Bill Does

• Requires health insurers to follow Medicare Part A’s criteria for determining if a patient needs to be admitted to a hospital.

Who It Names or Affects

• Health insurance companies in Mississippi

Terms To Know

Two-Midnight Rule

The rule used by Medicare to decide if a patient's hospital stay should last at least two nights.

Payers for health care services

Insurance companies that cover healthcare costs.

Limits and Unknowns

• This bill did not pass during the session.
• The bill would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, but since it didn't pass, this date is no longer relevant.

Official Summary Text

Health insurers; require to use certain standard for hospital inpatient admissions.

Current Bill Text

H. B. No. 97 *HR43/R636* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R636
PAGE 1 (ENK\KP)
ST: Health insurers; require to use certain
standard for hospital inpatient admissions.
To: Insurance
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Hines

HOUSE BILL NO. 97

AN ACT TO REQUIRE PAYERS FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES AUTHORIZED 1
TO DO BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI BY THE MISSISSIPPI 2
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT TO FOLLOW THE SAME CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING 3
THE REASONABLENESS AND NECESSITY OF HOSPITAL INPATIENT ADMISSIONS 4
AS THOSE USED UNDER MEDICARE PART A COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE 5
TWO-MIDNIGHT RULE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. In order to improve efficiencies and 8
consistencies for health care providers, payers and patients, 9
payers for health care services authorized to do business in the 10
State of Mississippi by the Mississippi Insurance Department are 11
required to follow the same criteria for determining the 12
reasonableness and necessity of hospital inpatient admissions as 13
those used under Medicare Part A commonly referred to as the 14
Two-Midnight Rule. 15
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 16
and after July 1, 2026. 17