I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7214 

To require a report on access to maternal health care within the military 

health system, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2024 

Ms. STEFANIK (for herself and Ms. SEWELL) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require a report on access to maternal health care within 

the military health system, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Access to 

5 Maternal Health for Military and Dependent Moms Act 

6 of 2024’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act: 

9 (1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 

10 individual’’ means— 


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1 (A) a covered beneficiary; or 

2 (B) a dependent. 

3 (2) COVERED BENEFICIARY; DEPENDENT; 

4 TRICARE PROGRAM.—The terms ‘‘covered bene5 ficiary’’, ‘‘dependent’’, and ‘‘TRICARE program’’ 

6 have the meanings given those terms in section 1072 

7 of title 10, United States Code. 

8 (3) MATERNAL HEALTH.—The term ‘‘maternal 

9 health’’ means care during labor, birthing, prenatal 

10 care, and postpartum care. 

11 (4) MATERNITY CARE DESERT.— The term 

12 ‘‘maternity care desert’’ means a county in the 

13 United States that does not have— 

14 (A) a hospital or birth center offering ob15 stetric care; or 

16 (B) an obstetric provider. 

17 (5) PRENATAL CARE.—The term ‘‘prenatal 

18 care’’ means medical care provided to maintain and 

19 improve fetal and maternal health during pregnancy. 

20 (6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

21 the Secretary of Defense. 

22 SEC. 3. REPORT ON ACCESS TO MATERNAL HEALTH CARE 

23 WITHIN THE MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

25 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall subVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:31 Feb 07, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7214.IH H7214

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1 mit to the Committee on Armed Services and the Com2 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee 

3 on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations 

4 of the House of Representatives a report on access to ma5 ternal health care within the military health system for 

6 covered individuals, during the preceding 2 year period. 

7 (b) CONTENTS.—The report required under sub8 section (a) shall include the following: 

9 (1) With respect to military medical treatment 

10 facilities: 

11 (A) An analysis of the availability of ma12 ternal health care for covered individuals who 

13 access the military health system through such 

14 facilities. 

15 (B) An identification of staffing shortages 

16 in positions relating to maternal health and 

17 childbirth, including obstetrician-gynecologists, 

18 certified nurse midwives, and labor and delivery 

19 nurses. 

20 (C) A description of specific challenges 

21 faced by covered individuals in accessing mater22 nal health care at such facilities. 

23 (D) An analysis of the timeliness of access 

24 to maternal health care, including wait times 

25 for and travel times to appointments. 


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1 (E) A description of how such facilities 

2 track patient satisfaction with maternal health 

3 services. 

4 (F) A process to establish continuity of 

5 prenatal care and postpartum care for covered 

6 individuals who experience a permanent change 

7 of station during a pregnancy. 

8 (G) An identification of barriers with re9 gard to continuity of prenatal care and 

10 postpartum care during permanent changes of 

11 station. 

12 (H) A description of military-specific 

13 health challenges impacting covered individuals 

14 who receive maternal healthcare at military 

15 medical treatment facilities, and a description 

16 of how the Department tracks such challenges. 

17 (I) For the 10-year period preceding the 

18 date of the submission of the report, the 

19 amount of funds annually expended— 

20 (i) by the Department of Defense on 

21 maternal health care; and 

22 (ii) by covered individuals on out-of23 pocket costs associated with maternal 

24 health care. 


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1 (J) An identification of each medical facil2 ity of the Department of Defense located in a 

3 maternity care desert. 

4 (K) Recommendations and legislative pro5 posals— 

6 (i) to address staffing shortages that 

7 impact the positions described in subpara8 graph (B); 

9 (ii) to improve the delivery and avail10 ability of maternal health services through 

11 military medical treatment facilities and 

12 improve patient experience; and 

13 (iii) to improve continuity of prenatal 

14 care and postpartum care for covered indi15 viduals during a permanent change of sta16 tion. 

17 (2) With respect to providers within the 

18 TRICARE program network that are not located at 

19 or affiliated with a military medical treatment facil20 ity: 

21 (A) An analysis of the availability of ma22 ternal health care for covered individuals who 

23 access the military health system through such 

24 providers. 


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1 (B) An identification of staffing shortages 

2 for such providers in positions relating to ma3 ternal health and childbirth, including obstetri4 cian-gynecologists, certified nurse midwives, and 

5 labor and delivery nurses. 

6 (C) A description of specific challenges 

7 faced by covered individuals in accessing mater8 nal health care from such providers. 

9 (D) An analysis of the timeliness of access 

10 to maternal health care, including wait times 

11 for and travel times to appointments. 

12 (E) A description of how such providers 

13 track patient satisfaction with maternal health 

14 services. 

15 (F) A process to establish continuity of 

16 prenatal care and postpartum care for covered 

17 individuals who experience a permanent change 

18 of station during a pregnancy. 

19 (G) An identification of barriers with re20 gard to continuity of prenatal care and 

21 postpartum care during permanent changes of 

22 station. 

23 (H) The number of dependents who choose 

24 to access maternal health care through such 

25 providers. 


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1 (I) For the 10-year period preceding the 

2 date of the submission of the report, the 

3 amount of funds annually expended— 

4 (i) by the Department of Defense on 

5 maternal health care; and 

6 (ii) by covered individuals on out-of7 pocket costs associated with maternal 

8 health care. 

9 (J) Recommendations and legislative pro10 posals— 

11 (i) to address staffing shortages that 

12 impact the positions described in subpara13 graph (B); 

14 (ii) to improve the delivery and avail15 ability of maternal health services through 

16 the TRICARE program and improve pa17 tient experience; 

18 (iii) to improve continuity of prenatal 

19 care and postpartum care for covered indi20 viduals during a permanent change of sta21 tion; and 

22 (iv) to improve the ability of contrac23 tors under the TRICARE program to build 

24 a larger network of providers for maternal 

25 health, including obstetrician-gynecologists, 


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1 certified nurse midwives, and labor and de2 livery nurses. 

Æ 


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