It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 23-13-14 and 23-13-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-13 entitled "Maternal and Child Health/Crippled Children's Services" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 23-13-14. ADD} {DEL Newborn metabolic testing program. DEL} {ADD Newborn metabolic disease control program. -- ADD} (a) The physician attending a newborn child shall cause that child to be subject to metabolic disease {ADD screening ADD} tests. The department of health shall make such rules and regulations pertaining to such {DEL tests DEL} {ADD screening, diagnostic and treatment services ADD} as accepted medical practice shall indicate. The provisions of this section shall not apply if the parents of the child object thereto on the grounds that those tests conflict with their religious tenets and practices.

(b) In addition, the department of health is hereby authorized to establish by rule and regulation a reasonable fee structure for the metabolic disease {DEL testing DEL} {ADD control ADD} program {ADD ; which includes but is not limited to screening, diagnostic and treatment services ADD} . The {DEL testing DEL} program shall be a covered benefit and be reimbursable by all health insurers, as defined in section 27-38-6, providing health insurance coverage in Rhode Island except for supplemental policies which only coverage for specific disease, hospital indemnity medicare supplements, or other supplemental policies. The department of human services shall pay for the {DEL testing DEL} program where the patient is eligible for medical assistance under the provisions of chapter 8 of title 40 . {DEL The department of health shall pay for the testing program where the patient is eligible for the maternity care payor of last resort program --Rite start, provided for in section 23-13-18. DEL} The charges for {DEL such testing DEL} {ADD the ADD} program shall be borne by the hospitals or other health-care facilities where births occur in the absence of a third-party payor. {ADD Nothing herein shall preclude the hospital or health care facility from billing the patient directly. ADD} Those fees shall be deposited into a restricted receipt account within the division of laboratories, department of health, for the purpose of administering the newborn metabolic disease testing program.

{ADD 23-13-15. ADD} {DEL Newborn sickle cell disease testing program. DEL} {ADD Newborn sickle cell disease control program. -- ADD} (a) The physician attending a newborn child shall cause said child to be subject to sickle cell disease tests. The department of health shall make such rules and regulations pertaining to such {DEL tests DEL} {ADD screening, diagnostic and treatment services ADD} as accepted medical practice shall indicate. The provisions of this section shall not apply if the parents of such child object thereto on the grounds that such tests conflict with their religious tenets and practices.

(b) In addition, the department of health is hereby authorized to establish by rule and regulation a reasonable fee structure for the sickle cell disease {DEL testing DEL} {ADD control ADD} program {ADD ;which includes but is not limited to screening, diagnostic and treatment services ADD} . The {DEL testing DEL} program shall be a covered benefit and be reimbursable by all health insurers, as defined in section 27-38-6, providing health insurance coverage in Rhode Island except for supplemental policies which only provide coverage for specific disease, hospital indemnity medicare supplement or other supplemental policies. The department of human services shall pay for the testing program where the patient is eligible for medical assistance under the provisions of chapter 8 of title 40. {DEL The department of health shall pay for the testing program where the patient is eligible for the maternity care payor of last resort program - Rite start, provided for in section 23-13-18. DEL} The charges for such testing program shall be borne by the hospitals or other health-care facilities where births occur in the absence of a third-party payor. {ADD Nothing herein shall preclude the hospital or health care facility from billing the patient directly. ADD} Those fees shall be deposited into a restricted receipt account within the division of laboratories, department of health, for the purpose of administering the newborn sickle cell disease {DEL Testing DEL} {ADD control ADD} program.