South Carolina H 3243: Lactation care and services coverage under State Health Plan

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3243 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3243

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
1-11-775 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE HEALTH PLAN MUST PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR 
LACTATION CARE AND SERVICES BEGINNING WITH THE 2027 PLAN YEAR, TO PROVIDE FOR 
THE SCOPE OF COVERAGE, TO PROHIBIT THE APPLICATION OF COST-SHARING PROVISIONS 
TO COVERED LACTATION CARE AND SERVICES, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 11, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
1-11-775. (A) Starting with the plan year beginning 
January 1, 2027, the State Health Plan must provide coverage for lactation care 
and services from a lactation consultant to pregnant and lactating women and to 
children who are breastfeeding or receiving their mother's milk for a period of 
six months after childbirth. This coverage must be provided to all active and 
retired employees of this State and its public school districts, and their 
spouses and other dependents. 

 (B) 
The State Health Plan shall not apply patient cost-sharing provisions to 
covered lactation care and services.

 (C) 
For purposes of this section:

 (1) 
"Lactation care and services" means the clinical application of scientific 
principles and a multidisciplinary body of evidence for evaluation, problem 
identification, treatment, education, and consultation to childbearing families 
regarding lactation care and services. Lactation care and services include, but 
are not limited to:

 (a) 
lactation assessment through the systematic collection of subjective and 
objective data;

 (b) 
analysis of data and creation of a lactation care plan;

 (c) 
implementation of a lactation care plan with demonstration and instruction to 
parents and communication to the primary health care provider;

 (d) 
evaluation of outcomes;

 (e) 
provision of lactation education to parents and health care providers; and

 (f) 
the recommendation and use of assistive devices.

 (2) 
"Lactation consultant" means a health care professional duly licensed pursuant 
to the licensing requirements of his profession to perform lactation care and 
services who also is also board certified by the International Board of 
Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) as an International Board Certified 
Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in good standing with the IBLCE or its successor 
organization. 

 (D) 
The Public Health Benefit Authority shall promulgate regulations to effectuate 
the provisions of this section.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 11:03 AM