Newborn enrollment for medical assistance

§ 366-g. Newborn enrollment for medical assistance. 1. Each hospital licensed under article twenty-eight of the public health law shall report to the department of health, or such other entity designated by the department of health, in such format as the department of health shall provide, each live birth of a child to a woman receiving medical assistance on the date of the birth. Such reports shall be made within five business days of the birth and shall include data identifying the mother and child.

2. Each hospital licensed under article twenty-eight of the public health law, upon discharge after delivery of a child, shall notify, in plain language and in such manner as the department of health shall provide, each mother in receipt of medical assistance that such child is deemed to be enrolled in the medical assistance program regardless of his or her receipt of a medical assistance identification card or client identification number or other proof of the child's eligibility, and may access care, services and supplies in accordance with this title and other applicable laws.

3. The commissioner of health shall establish a procedure to ensure that every child born to a mother who is receiving medical assistance on the date of the child's birth is automatically enrolled in the medical assistance program, assigned a client identification number, and issued an active medical assistance identification card, as soon as possible, but in no event later than ten business days from the receipt of the report required pursuant to subdivision one of this section.

4. (a) Consistent with the provisions of section three hundred sixty-six of this title, a child under the age of one year whose mother is receiving medical assistance, or whose mother was receiving medical assistance on the date of the child's birth, who is presented to a medical assistance provider, as defined in section three hundred sixty-six-d of this title, for care, shall be deemed to be enrolled in the medical assistance program regardless of the issuance of a medical assistance identification card or client identification number to such child or other proof of the child's eligibility.

(b) A medical assistance provider that furnishes medical assistance as defined in section three hundred sixty-five-a of this title, to a child described in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be eligible for medical assistance reimbursement for such assistance regardless of whether the child has been issued a medical assistance identification card, client identification number or other proof of eligibility. Reimbursement under this section shall be in accordance with the provisions of this title, including, as appropriate, section 364-j of this title and all other applicable laws, rules, regulations and administrative directions.