PreemieVoices

Legislative Issues

Hospital Discharge and Follow-Up Care for Premature Infants

Advocates seek to improve the continuity of care of premature infants from discharge to the community pediatrician. Key legislative initiatives include promoting state Medicaid focus on premature infant care by:

• Facilitating the state’s review of existing hospital discharge and follow-up care procedures and taking steps to improve and standardize processes that support patient tracking and compliance with care
• Reporting of premature infant re-hospitalization rates and causes
• Supporting the CMS Neonatal Outcomes Improvement Project

State Prematurity Task Forces Encouraged

To establish standards of care for premature infants, make recommendations on hospital discharge policies and care follow-up, and urge hospitals to report re-hospitalizations of premature infants.

Adequate Reimbursement and Prior Authorization

Ensuring patient access by adequately reimbursing providers and specialty care pharmacies for their products and services and by removing cumbersome prior authorizations is critical to reducing barriers for this fragile patient population.