Today the House Health Insurance Committee heard our first bill, HB 426, just one week after we filed it. The bill prohibits an insurer from requiring any waiting period for health insurance coverage for maternity benefits and requires coverage to begin immediately from the effective date of the health insurance policy.

Under current law, a woman paying a higher premium to get insurance for pregnancy can still be denied coverage if she actually gets pregnant during the first year to eighteen months of the policy. Many thanks to Chairman Chris Molendorp who scheduled the bill for hearing, former Senator Patrick Dougherty who testified in favor of the bill on behalf of Catholic Charities, Jeremy Lafaver who testified in favor on behalf of the Partnership for Children and Affton resident Bridget Brown, whose poignant testimony made a tremendous impact.