A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to reduce infant mortality and reduce preterm births, as recommended by the child fatality task force.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance, shall seek a Medicaid 1115 waiver or implement other available Medicaid options to provide interconceptional coverage to low‑income women with incomes below one hundred eight‑five percent (185%) of the federal poverty guidelines who have given birth to a high‑risk infant. A high‑risk infant is defined as weighing less than 1500 grams, is born less than 34 weeks gestation, is born with a congenital anomaly, or who has died within the first 28 days of life.
SECTION 2.  Interconceptional care shall be limited to two years following the birth of a high‑risk infant, or until a subsequent birth, whichever comes first.
SECTION 3.  The Division is authorized to develop a benefit package to improve interconceptional care to decrease poor birth outcomes in subsequent pregnancies.
SECTION 4.  The Division shall provide estimates of the cost savings from improved birth outcomes that will offset the cost of providing Medicaid coverage to this targeted population.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.