Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 433 § 433.288 — Newborn bloodspot screening program; policy; exemptions; fees; fee waivers;

Newborn bloodspot screening program; policy; exemptions; fees; fee waivers; rules. (1)(a) It is the public health policy of the State of Oregon that each infant in Oregon undergo newborn bloodspot screening for medical conditions that, if detected early, can be mitigated or treated to prevent harmful health effects. (b) The Oregon Health Authority shall administer a newborn bloodspot screening program to advance the public health policy described in paragraph (a) of this subsection. (2) The state public health laboratory, or another laboratory pursuant to an agreement with the authority, shall conduct the screenings described in subsection (1) of this section. (3) The authority shall adopt rules necessary to implement the newborn bloodspot screening program, including but not limited to rules establishing: (a) The medical conditions for which infants are screened, including higher tier testing; (b) The person responsible for: (A) The collection of specimens for screening; (B) The delivery of specimens to the state public health laboratory for screening; (C) The delivery of signed exemption forms to the state public health laboratory; and (D) Following up with the parents or guardians of an infant to discuss the screening results; (c) The timing and manner for collection and delivery of specimens to the state public health laboratory for screening; (d) The timing and manner for recollection and redelivery, if necessary, of specimens to the state public health laboratory for screening; (e) Standards for the retention, use and release of residual specimens; (f) Fees for screening in an amount sufficient to cover the costs to administer the newborn bloodspot screening program; (g) A process for a parent or guardian to request a fee waiver if the parent or guardian is indigent or otherwise unable to pay the fee for screening services; (h) The timing and manner for reporting screening results to the medical providers of an infant; and (i) The exemption form described in subsection (6) of this section. (4) The inability of a parent or guardian to pay the fee established under subsection (3) of this section may not be a basis to refuse to provide newborn bloodspot screening services to an infant. (5) A carrier, as that term is defined in ORS 743B.005, and a coordinated care organization, as that term is defined in ORS 414.025, shall cover the costs of newborn bloodspot screening. (6) A parent or guardian of an infant may decline to screen the infant under the newborn bloodspot screening program if the parent or guardian opposes screening for religious or philosophical reasons and signs an exemption form prescribed by the authority by rule. (7) All information and documentation related to the newborn bloodspot screening program that identifies an infant, a parent or guardian of an infant or a health care provider involved in the care of an infant is confidential and exempt from public disclosure under ORS 192.311 to 192.478. [Formerly 433.285]