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Bill

SB 47

requiring certain health insurance policies of a birth mother to provide coverage for a newly born child from the moment of birth.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Regina Birdsell

Mandates automatic newborn health insurance coverage from birth for children of insured mothers, eliminating coverage gaps before formal policy enrollment takes effect January 2026.

Signed by the Governor on 07/15/2025; Chapter 0218; Effective 01/01/2026
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Bill Summary · SB 47

Legislative bill overview

SB 47 requires health insurance policies covering pregnant women to automatically extend coverage to their newborns from birth, rather than requiring separate enrollment or waiting for the newborn to be added to the policy. The bill became effective January 1, 2026, and passed with unanimous committee support.

Why is this important

Newborns currently face potential coverage gaps between birth and when they're formally added to a parent's insurance plan, which could delay necessary medical care, screenings, or treatment. This requirement ensures continuous coverage for critical early-life healthcare, including hospital stays, pediatric care, and preventive services during a vulnerable period when medical needs are highest and most unpredictable.

Potential points of contention

  • Insurance cost implications: Insurers may argue this expands their obligations without corresponding rate adjustments, potentially leading to higher premiums for all policyholders
  • Administrative burden: Questions about implementation complexity for insurers to automatically identify and cover newborns, including coordination with hospital records and birth documentation
  • Scope of "birth mother" coverage: Potential ambiguity about which policies qualify (e.g., does it apply to all health plans, only individual/family plans, marketplace plans?) and how this interacts with Medicaid or other programs that typically cover newborns automatically

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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