II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4705 

To amend title XIX requiring coverage under Medicaid of vaccines for 

pregnant women. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 

Mr. CASSIDY (for himself and Ms. HASSAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend title XIX requiring coverage under Medicaid of 

vaccines for pregnant women. 

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 ‘‘Maternal Immuniza5 tion Coverage Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MANDATORY COVERAGE UNDER MEDICAID OF VAC7 CINES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1905(a)(4) of the Social 

9 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(a)(4)) is amended— 


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1 (1) by striking ‘‘and (D)’’ and inserting ‘‘(D)’’; 

2 and 

3 (2) by inserting after ‘‘subsection (bb))’’ the 

4 following: ‘‘; and (E) for individuals who are eligible 

5 under the State plan or a waiver of such plan and 

6 are pregnant (including individuals whose eligibility 

7 for medical assistance is on the basis of being preg8 nant and limited to services related to pregnancy), 

9 approved vaccines recommended for such individuals 

10 by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Prac11 tices and the administration of such vaccines to such 

12 individuals’’. 

13 (b) PROHIBITION OF COST SHARING.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1916 of the Social 

15 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396o) is amended, in each 

16 of subsections (a)(2)(B) and (b)(2)(B)— 

17 (A) by striking ‘‘and counseling’’ and in18 serting ‘‘counseling’’; and 

19 (B) by inserting ‘‘, and vaccines described 

20 in section 1905(a)(4)(E) that are furnished to 

21 pregnant women and the administration of such 

22 vaccines’’ after ‘‘section 1905(bb)(2)(A)’’. 

23 (2) APPLICATION TO ALTERNATIVE COST SHAR24 ING.—Section 1916A(b)(3)(B)(iii) of the Social SeVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:01 Oct 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4705.IS S4705

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1 curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396o–1(b)(3)(B)(iii)) is 

2 amended— 

3 (A) by striking ‘‘and counseling’’ and in4 serting ‘‘counseling’’; and 

5 (B) by inserting ‘‘, and vaccines described 

6 in section 1905(a)(4)(E) that are furnished to 

7 pregnant women and the administration of such 

8 vaccines’’ after ‘‘section 1905(bb)(2)(A)’’ before 

9 the period. 

10 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para12 graph (2), the amendments made by this section 

13 shall take effect on the date of enactment of this 

14 Act. 

15 (2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION

16 REQUIRED.—In the case of a State plan under title 

17 XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 

18 seq.) which the Secretary of Health and Human 

19 Services determines requires State legislation (other 

20 than legislation appropriating funds) in order for the 

21 plan to meet the additional requirements imposed by 

22 the amendments made by this section, the State 

23 plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply with 

24 the requirements of such title solely on the basis of 

25 the failure of the plan to meet such additional reVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:01 Oct 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4705.IS S4705

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1 quirements before the first day of the first calendar 

2 quarter beginning after the close of the first regular 

3 session of the State legislature that begins after the 

4 date of enactment of this Act. For purposes of the 

5 previous sentence, in the case of a State that has a 

6 2-year legislative session, each year of such session 

7 shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of 

8 the State legislature. 

Æ 


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