SCS/HB 716 - This act modifies provisions relating to newborn screening. This act establishes the Brady Alan Cunningham Newborn Screening Act. The act requires, by July 1, 2012, the Department of Health and Senior Services to expand newborn screening requirements to include certain lysosomal storage diseases such as Krabbe, Pompe, Gaucher, Niemann-Pick or Fabry disease. The department is authorized to increase the current fee associated with the screening tests to cover the additional costs of the expanded tests. SECTION 191.333
The act also requires the MO HealthNet program and the state children's health insurance program (SCHIP) to examine and improve hospital discharge and follow-up care procedures for premature infants born earlier than 37 weeks gestational age. The programs shall also urge hospitals serving infants eligible for MO HealthNet and SCHIP to report to the state the causes and incidence of all re-hospitalizations of premature infants. SECTION 191.1127
The Department of Health and Senior Services is required to prepare written educational materials containing information about possible complications, proper care and support associated with newborn infants who are born premature at earlier than 37 weeks gestational age. The act specifies the minimum information that shall be included in the publications and provides that the department shall distribute the publications to children's health providers, maternal care providers, hospitals, public health departments and medical organizations. SECTION 191.1130
The premature infant provisions are identical to provisions in SS/SCS/SB 306 (2009).
ADRIANE CROUSE