Contact: Joe Martin - # 232-6787
New Moms Stay in the Hospital Longer
(Harrisburg, Oct. 28)… New figures released by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council suggest that Act 85 of 1996, otherwise known as "minimum maternity stay" legislation, has had an immediate impact in lengthening the amount of time new mothers in Pennsylvania spend in the hospital for childbirth.
"The average length of hospitalization in Pennsylvania for new moms having uncomplicated vaginal deliveries increased from 1.6 days in 1995 to 2.1 days in 1998," stated Marc P. Volavka, Executive Director of PHC4. "Since Act 85 went into effect in late 1996, it is reasonable to suggest a relationship between the new law and the change."
The PHC4 analysis also notes that the average hospital charge for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery rose from $3,423 in 1994 to $4,466 in 1998 – a 30% increase – while average charges for all hospitalizations increased by 13% for the same time period. It is not known how much, if any, of this variation can be attributed to the impact of Act 85.
The length of hospital stays has been the subject of much debate in recent years. Act 85 requires health insurance policies that provide maternity benefits to provide coverage for a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care following normal vaginal delivery and for 96 hours following a Cesarean section with certain limited exceptions.
"Forty-four percent of Pennsylvania mothers having a vaginal delivery without complications were discharged from the hospital in one day or less in 1995," said Mr. Volavka. "In 1998, only 14% of new mothers in the same category were discharged in one day or less, a substantial decrease."
The Pennsylvania data are similar to national trends reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The federal Newborns and Mothers’ Health Protection Act took effect in 1998 and required insurance coverage for 48 hours for a vaginal delivery and 4 days coverage for a C-section.
The analysis goes on to note that the long-term impact of minimum maternity stay legislation is not yet clear. Research continues around issues such as the cost-effectiveness of longer hospitalizations and the health of newborns in the first months (or years) of life. Additional study is needed, therefore, to learn the full impact of minimum maternity stay mandates.