Maternal minimum-stay legislation: cost and policy implications.
OBJECTIVE
Recently, most state legislatures and Congress have passed laws mandating insurance coverage for a minimum period of inpatient care following delivery. This study analyzed the likely cost implications of one state's law.


METHODS
Hospital discharge records for Illinois women who gave birth (n = 167,769) and infants born (n = 164,905) during a 12-month period predating the law were analyzed.


RESULTS
As a percentage of total spending on birth-related admissions and readmissions, the net effect of the law ranges from a savings of 0.1% to a cost of 20.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
There may be large cost implications to this legislation, even with savings from avoided re-admissions.
Raube
K
K
Center for Health Administration Studies, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA. k-raube@uchicago.edu
Merrell
K
K
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*