HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 346

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING DEVICES.

WHEREAS, monitoring blood pressure is an important part of prenatal care because the first sign of preeclampsia is commonly a rise in blood pressure; and

WHEREAS, left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious, even fatal, complications for a woman and her baby; and

WHEREAS, remote monitoring of blood pressure monitoring during pregnancy provides the opportunity to promptly detect preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications for which high blood pressure is a symptom; and

WHEREAS, a pregnant patient enrolled in the state Medicaid program is required to receive prior authorization before obtaining a remote patient monitoring device such as an automated take home blood pressure cuff; and

WHEREAS, requiring prior authorization before obtaining an automated take home blood pressure cuff creates a burden to obtaining a valuable element of prenatal care while providing very little benefit.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 5, Title 31 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 530. Coverage for Automated Take Home Blood Pressure Cuffs.

(a) For purposes of this section, “automated take home blood pressure cuff” means a device designed for home use that uses a self-inflating bladder fastened around the arm and a sensor for measuring blood pressure regardless of whether the device transmits data electronically.

(b) Carriers may not require preauthorization for coverage for automated take home blood pressure cuffs for a pregnant patient when use of the device is recommended by the patient’s doctor.

SYNOPSIS

This Act removes the requirement that a pregnant patient enrolled in the state Medicaid program receive prior authorization for an automated take home blood pressure cuff when the automated take home blood pressure cuff is recommended by their doctor. Without this Act, pregnant members enrolled with a Managed Care Organization (MCO) can receive an automated take-home blood pressure cuff without prior authorization while patients enrolled in the Medicaid fee for service program cannot.