Clinton says maternity plans should cover 2-day hospital stay

The legislation, which has bipartisan support, is opposed by health maintenance organizations, insurers and employer
groups, which see it as a precedent for the federal government to dictate the coverage of specific services. But the measure is endorsed by doctors and by new mothers who say they have been rushed out of hospitals.

Clinton said the legislation, in the spirit of Mother's Day, ``will guarantee mothers the quality care they need when they've had a baby.''

The president's endorsement was a challenge to Congress to act on the proposal, which was approved last month by a Senate committee but has received little attention since then.

Early this month, the Florida Legislature approved a bill that requires insurance companies and HMOs to cover a longer hospital stay if a doctor considers it necessary, although the bill does not set a minimum of 48 hours.

In his weekly radio address Saturday, Clinton said the average length of the hospital stay for an uncomplicated childbirth declined to two days in 1992, from four days in 1970. ``Now,'' he said, ``a large and growing number of insurance companies are refusing to pay for anything more than a 24-hour stay, except in the most extreme circumstances, and some have recommended releasing women as early as eight hours after delivery.''

He warned: ``Early release of infants can result in numerous problems, including feeding problems, severe dehydration, brain damage and stroke. In addition, many mothers are not physically capable of providing for a newborn's needs 24 hours after giving birth.''