HB1102

The Universal Newborn Screening Act mandates that all newborns in Arkansas be screened for a core set of medical conditions as recommended by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. It establishes a timeline for implementing new screenings, requiring them to be adopted either upon legislative funding or within 36 months of being added to federal recommendations. The bill empowers the Department of Health to administer this program, maintain a central laboratory for testing, and conduct educational outreach regarding these screenings. It also requires the Department to track positive test results to facilitate early diagnosis and intervention. The legislation ensures Medicaid will reimburse hospitals for the costs of these mandatory tests. Furthermore, it updates existing state law to align insurance coverage requirements with the conditions identified by the Department of Health, while maintaining parental rights to opt-out of testing for medical, religious, or philosophical reasons.