Rhode Island House Bill H5861

Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/28/25
• Refer: 2/28/25

Caption

Requires health insurance policies to cover licensed certified lactation counselor services for childbearing families. It also prohibits requiring supervision or duplicate payments for services and mandates annual reporting.

Impact

As of January 1, 2026, all relevant health insurance policies must provide coverage for the services offered by lactation counselors. This is a considerable shift in insurance requirements, promoting the importance of professional lactation support that is often critical for breastfeeding success. The bill also ensures that reimbursement processes are more straightforward by stipulating that insurers cannot require supervisory requirements over lactation counselors that are not similarly applied to other healthcare professionals.

Summary

House Bill H5861 seeks to amend insurance laws in Rhode Island by mandating that health insurance contracts, both individual and group, cover services provided by licensed certified lactation counselors. This legislation impacts the healthcare system significantly, as it recognizes the role of lactation counselors in supporting childbearing families. By including these services in insurance coverage, the bill aims to improve access to necessary lactation support for new mothers and their infants, particularly during the critical first year of life.

Contention

While the bill is largely seen as a positive step toward enhancing maternal and infant health, there may be debates regarding the extent of coverage and the potential implications for insurance premiums. Critics might express concerns about the burden on insurance companies, particularly in determining how costs for these services will be managed. Furthermore, discussions may arise regarding the types of insurance policies exempted from this requirement, as the bill does not apply to limited benefit policies and certain other types of insurance coverage.