(a)  Every individual or group hospital or medical services plan contract delivered, issued for delivery, as renewed in this state which provides maternity benefits shall provide coverage for a forty-eight (48) hour time period in a hospital after a vaginal birth and ninety-six (96) hours after a Cesarean section for a mother and her newly born child. Any decision to shorten this minimum coverage shall be made by the attending health care provider in consultation with the mother. The decision shall be made in accordance with the standards for guidelines for perinatal care published by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The standards shall be relative to early discharge, defined as less than forty-eight (48) hours for a vaginal delivery and ninety-six (96) for a Cesarean delivery. In the case of early discharge, post-delivery care shall include: home visits, parent education, assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding and the performance of any necessary and appropriate clinical tests or any other tests or services consistent with these guidelines.

(b)  For the purposes of this section, “attending health care provider” includes the attending obstetrician, pediatrician, family practitioner, general practitioner or certified nurse midwife attending the mother and newly born child.

(c)  Any subscriber who is aggrieved by a denial of benefits to be provided under this section may appeal the denial in accordance with regulations of the department of health, which have been promulgated pursuant to chapter 17.12 of Title 23. No policy or plan covered under this chapter shall terminate the services, reduce capitation payment, or penalize an attending physician or other health care provider who orders care consistent with the provisions of this section.