Shenango Valley News

Having garnered unanimous approval from the General Assembly, legislation spearheaded by Senator Michele Brooks is set to become law. Senate Bill 500, also referred to as Owen’s Law, aims to provide essential nourishment for medically fragile infants by mandating Medical Assistance coverage for medically prescribed pasteurized human donor milk in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

The bill specifies that the donor milk must be sourced from a Pennsylvania-licensed milk bank or through a hospital licensure process under the Keystone Mother’s Milk Bank Act of 2020. This ensures the safety of the milk provided.

Research indicates that donor milk can prevent severe health issues in very low birth-weight babies and other medically compromised infants. Such complications can lead to extended hospital stays, additional medical procedures, readmissions, lifelong disabilities, or even death.

Senator Brooks was motivated to act after learning about Owen's story. "After hearing Owen’s story, and knowing how life-saving this nutrition can be for medically fragile babies, I was determined to act so that no other family would face this preventable tragedy," she stated. She emphasized that parents should not have to resort to unsafe sources due to desperation.

Owen’s Law is named after a baby boy from Indiana, Pa., who was born just below the eligibility criteria for receiving human donor milk. He suffered from serious gastrointestinal inflammation and unfortunately passed away. The proposed legislation would have allowed him access to donor milk based on his medical needs.

Donor milk is also recommended for children with heart conditions and certain serious health issues like neonatal abstinence syndrome. It is recognized as a cost-effective method for improving child health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

To qualify for coverage under this bill, children must meet specific medical necessity requirements or their mothers must be unable to produce sufficient breast milk due to medical or physical reasons.

Denise O’Connor, Executive Director of Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank expressed her satisfaction with the bill's progress: “We are overjoyed to have this life-saving bill be on the cusp of enactment.” She noted that Owen’s Law will provide families with coverage for necessary nutrition and ensure equitable access in NICUs across Pennsylvania.

The bill has received support from Senators Brooks and Judy Schwank as well as Representatives Donna Oberlander and Dan Frankel who facilitated its passage through the House chamber.