Differential Effect of State Legislation Regarding Hospitalization for Healthy Newborns in a Single Geographic Region

In response to growing complaints and safety concerns,1–4 most states and the federal government have now enacted legislation to guarantee a more reasonable postpartum length of stay.5 The Ohio law required health maintenance organizations, health insurers, public employers, and the state’s Medicaid program to provide a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care following a normal vaginal delivery and a minimum of 96 hours of inpatient care following a cesarean delivery. This study examined, in a single region in southwestern Ohio, whether the state legislative mandate was applied in a manner that equally affected decisions made for Medicaid and commercially insured infants and their families.