MO HB1259

Adds home nursing visits for newborn infants as a covered MO HealthNet service, consisting of registered nurse home visits designed to prevent infant mortality, child abuse and neglect, and provide health education and parenting skills.

Defines "at-risk" infants to include those born medically fragile, chemically dependent, with failure to thrive, or born to chemically dependent, teenage, mentally or physically challenged mothers, or into families with history of premature births, abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

Authorizes nursing services to provide follow-up care as needed until the infant reaches their second birthday.

Requires the MO HealthNet division to request appropriate waivers or state plan amendments from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to implement these nursing services.

Makes minor corrections to existing statute language, changing "subsection" to "subdivision" in two sections regarding hospice care definitions.