The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act Final Regulations

The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act (NMHPA) was enacted in 1996 to provide protections to mothers and their newborn children with respect to the length of hospital stays after childbirth. Under the NMHPA, group health plans may not restrict mothers’ and newborns’ benefits for such hospital stays to less than 48 hours following a vaginal delivery and 96 hours following a delivery by cesarean section.