HF 1601 Summary

• Prohibits health insurers from imposing policy waiting periods on prenatal and maternity health insurance benefits, effective January 1, 2010.

• Eliminates pregnancy as a preexisting condition for health insurance coverage under Minnesota law.

• Requires health plans to cover minimum 48 hours inpatient care after vaginal delivery and 96 hours after cesarean section, plus postdelivery home nursing visits.

• Establishes parenting support grant program through Office of Higher Education to provide counseling and on-campus child care services to postsecondary students who are pregnant or parents.

• Creates $1,000 adoption tax credit for qualified adoption expenses and requires informational materials on pregnancy, fetal development, adoption services, and alpha-fetoprotein testing be made available to pregnant women.