MO SB864

MO HealthNet program and health care for uninsured children program must examine and improve hospital discharge and follow-up care procedures for premature infants born before 37 weeks gestational age.

Hospitals serving eligible infants are required (changed from "urged") to report to the state the causes and incidence of all rehospitalizations of premature infants within their first six months of life.

MO HealthNet and health care programs shall use guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Neonatal Outcomes Improvement Project to improve newborn outcomes and reduce costs.

Creates the Missouri Task Force on Prematurity and Infant Mortality with 18 members including legislators, state agency directors, medical professionals, parents, insurance representatives, and business advocates.

Task force must submit findings to the general assembly by December 31, 2013, and the MO HealthNet division must provide hospital rehospitalization reports to the task force by October 1 annually; task force expires January 1, 2015.