This bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to create an administrative day rate and a swing bed rate under the state Medicaid plan specifically for certain hospital stays involving parents of newborns. The new section, RSA 126-A:18-c, outlines that the administrative day rate will apply when a postpartum parent does not meet the criteria for acute inpatient care but cannot be discharged due to the unavailability of appropriate placement and the need for continuous care of the newborn. The bill stipulates that the department will use the annual statewide weighted average nursing facility Medicaid payment rate to update this rate annually, and it will cover up to five newborn administrative days, with the possibility of additional days through expedited prior authorization. The bill also specifies that the postpartum parent must room with their newborn and receive prescribed medications during their stay.

Additionally, the bill establishes a swing bed day rate for clients receiving department-approved nursing services in a swing bed, clarifying that hospitals will not receive the acute inpatient rate for these days. It allows for certain ancillary services to be billed separately and specifies that pharmacy services not covered under the swing bed rate can be billed directly by pharmacies. The bill requires the department to adopt rules to set the rate methodology and criteria, and it is set to take effect on July 1, 2025. The fiscal impact indicates that while there are no new funding sources or positions authorized, the estimated annual expenditure for this initiative is projected to be $57,330, which will be funded through the general fund.