House Bill 1011
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1011
By Representative Jacobs
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to epidural anesthesia;
3 amending ss. 627.6406, 627.6574, and 641.31,
4 F.S.; requiring health insurance policies and
5 health maintenance organization contracts that
6 cover maternity care to cover the
7 administration of epidural anesthesia during
8 labor and delivery; prohibiting restricting or
9 refusing access to such procedure, except when
10 medically contraindicated; prohibiting
11 requiring a patient's advance notice or special
12 consent to such procedure; providing an
13 effective date.
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15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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17 Section 1. Subsection (8) is added to section
18 627.6406, Florida Statutes, to read:
19 627.6406 Maternity care.--
20 (8) Any policy of health insurance that provides
21 coverage for maternity care must provide coverage for the
22 administration of epidural anesthesia during labor and
23 delivery. The patient's access to such procedure may not be
24 restricted or refused unless the procedure is determined by
25 the attending physician to be medically contraindicated. A
26 physician, hospital, or birth center may not require a patient
27 to provide advance notice or special consent in order to
28 obtain epidural anesthesia during labor and delivery.
29 Section 2. Subsection (8) is added to section
30 627.6574, Florida Statutes, to read:
31 627.6574 Maternity care.--
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1011
542-167-99
1 (8) Any group, blanket, or franchise policy of health
2 insurance that provides coverage for maternity care must
3 provide coverage for the administration of epidural anesthesia
4 during labor and delivery. The patient's access to such
5 procedure may not be restricted or refused unless the
6 procedure is determined by the attending physician to be
7 medically contraindicated. A physician, hospital, or birth
8 center may not require a patient to provide advance notice or
9 special consent in order to obtain epidural anesthesia during
10 labor and delivery.
11 Section 3. Subsection (36) is added to section 641.31,
12 Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:
13 641.31 Health maintenance contracts.--
14 (36) A health maintenance contract that provides
15 coverage for maternity care must provide coverage for the
16 administration of epidural anesthesia during labor and
17 delivery. The patient's access to such procedure may not be
18 restricted or refused unless the procedure is determined by
19 the attending physician to be medically contraindicated. A
20 physician, hospital, or birth center may not require a patient
21 to provide advance notice or special consent in order to
22 obtain epidural anesthesia during labor and delivery.
23 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999,
24 and shall apply to policies and contracts issued or renewed on
25 or after that date.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1011
542-167-99
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2 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Requires health insurance policies and health maintenance
4 organization plans that cover maternity care to cover the
administration of epidural anesthesia during labor and
5 delivery. Prohibits restricting or refusing access to
such procedure unless it is medically contraindicated.
6 Prohibits requiring a patient to provide advance notice
or special consent to the procedure.
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