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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5203 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5203

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance 
 on best practices for screening and treatment of congenital syphilis 
  under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for 
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 25, 2024

   Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Braun) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance 
 on best practices for screening and treatment of congenital syphilis 
  under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Maternal and Infant Syphilis 
Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) In 2022, there were 207,255 total syphilis cases in the 
        United States, representing an 80 percent increase since 2018 
        and continuing a decades-long upward trend.
            (2) Untreated, syphilis can seriously damage the heart and 
        brain and can cause blindness, deafness, and paralysis.
            (3) The increased rise in syphilis cases is causing the 
        rise in congenital syphilis with more than 3,700 cases 
        documented among newborns in 2022, more than 10 times the 
        number diagnosed in 2012.
            (4) When transmitted during pregnancy, congenital syphilis 
        can cause miscarriage, lifelong medical issues, and infant 
        death. Congenital syphilis can present health issues for babies 
        at birth, including neonatal death, meningitis, anemia, and 
        problems with the spleen and liver. If not treated, congenital 
        syphilis can cause bone and joint problems, vision and hearing 
        problems, issues with the nervous system, and developmental 
        delays.
            (5) High incidence rates of congenital syphilis are often 
        due to lack of timely testing or inadequate treatment during 
        pregnancy. Timely syphilis testing and treatment during 
        pregnancy might be able to prevent almost 90 percent of 
        congenital syphilis cases.
            (6) Requirements for syphilis screening among pregnant 
        women varies by State. The majority of States require syphilis 
        screening in the first visit, significantly less States require 
        syphilis screenings during the third trimester or at delivery.
            (7) Screening during the third trimester and at delivery 
        can lead to earlier detection of congenital syphilis and 
        prevent adverse health outcomes for mothers and newborn 
        infants.
            (8) Increased awareness and education are critical in 
        reducing syphilis among pregnant women to prevent congenital 
        syphilis.

SEC. 3. GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER STATE MEDICAID PROGRAMS 
              AND STATE CHIPS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue guidance to State 
agencies responsible for administering State Medicaid programs, State 
CHIPs, or both such programs, the Indian Health Service, Indian Tribes, 
tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations, on best practices 
with respect to actions that State Medicaid programs, State CHIPs, 
Indian health programs, and urban Indian health programs operated by an 
urban Indian organization pursuant to a grant or contract with the 
Indian Health Service pursuant to title V of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) may take, including by using 
waivers under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) 
and authorities under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) 
and title XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), for the following 
purposes:
            (1) Improving access to expand syphilis screening for 
        pregnant women and babies.
            (2) Best practices for educating medical professionals and 
        pregnant women with respect to syphilis.
            (3) Strategies for integrating telehealth services and 
        training for providers and patients on the use of telehealth, 
        including working with interpreters to furnish health services 
        and providing resources with respect to congenital syphilis in 
        multiple languages.
            (4) Best practices for increasing testing for syphilis in 
        the third trimester and at delivery.
            (5) Improving treatment for syphilis and congenital 
        syphilis.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Indian tribe, tribal organization, urban indian, urban 
        indian organization, indian health program.--The terms ``Indian 
        tribe'', ``tribal organization'', ``Urban Indian'', ``Urban 
        Indian organization'', and ``Indian health program'' have the 
        meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian Health 
        Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1301(a)(1)) for purposes of titles XIX and XXI of such 
        Act.
            (4) State chip.--The term ``State CHIP'' means a State 
        child health plan for child health assistance under title XXI 
        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), and 
        includes any waiver of such a plan.
            (5) State medicaid program.--The term ``State Medicaid 
        program'' means a State plan for medical assistance under title 
        XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and 
        includes any waiver of such a plan.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate, and 
shall make publicly available, a report analyzing the implementation of 
the best practices described in subsection (a).
                                 <all>
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