FL H0829

Requires all licensed hospitals and birthing facilities to screen newborns for congenital heart disease prior to discharge, with screening to be conducted by a licensed physician and documented within 24 hours.

Mandates licensed birth centers to refer newborns to a physician or hospital for screening within 10 days of discharge, and requires home birth attendants to coordinate referrals within 10 days of birth.

Allows parents or legal guardians to object to screening; if they do, the objection must be documented in writing and placed in the newborn's medical chart.

Requires Medicaid and all health insurance policies (except supplemental, hospital indemnity, and Medicare supplement policies) to cover the initial screening procedure and medically necessary follow-up reevaluations as a covered benefit.

Directs the Department of Health to adopt rules in consultation with the Genetics and Newborn Screening Advisory Council to administer the screening program, including testing methods, fees, and mandatory reporting of results; effective July 1, 2012.