AN ACT relating to maternal and child health.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 211 to establish the Kentucky maternal psychiatry access program, also known as the Kentucky Lifeline for Moms; establish duties and responsibilities of the program; direct that the program shall be operated by the Department for Public Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health; amend KRS 211.122 to establish that the collaborative panel related to maternal and infant health shall be renamed the Kentucky maternal and infant health collaborative; establish formal membership of the collaborative; require that the collaborative annually review the operations of the new Kentucky maternal psychiatry access program; amend KRS 211.690, related to the Health Access Nurturing Development Services program to require the HANDS program provide information related to lactation consultation, breastfeeding, and safe sleep for babies; establish that the program participants shall participate in the home visitation program through in-person face-to-face methods or through tele-service delivery methods; create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require insurers and any exchange to provide a special enrollment period for pregnant individuals; specify requirements for the coverage; require group plan insurers to provide notice of special enrollment rights; amend KRS 304.17A-145 to require health benefit plans that provide coverage for dependents to provide coverage for maternity care; amend KRS 304.17A-220 and 194A.099 to conform with the special enrollment requirement; amend KRS 18A.225 and 164.2871 to require the state employee health plan and self-insured state postsecondary education institution group health plans to comply with the special enrollment and maternity coverage requirements; amend KRS 205.522 to require Medicaid coverage of maternity services; amend KRS 205.592 to allow Medicaid income limit for certain women and children to be increased under certain circumstances; amend KRS 205.6485 to require Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program to provide maternity coverage; create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to require the Department for Medicaid Services and any managed care organization with whom the department contracts for the delivery of Medicaid services to provide coverage for lactation consultation and breastfeeding equipment; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to apply for a Medicaid waiver if potential cost defrayment or loss of federal funds is identified; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to study doula certification programs nationally; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2025.