II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4717 

To include pregnancy and loss of pregnancy as qualifying life events under 

the TRICARE program and to require a study on maternal health 

in the military health system, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 11 (legislative day, JULY 10), 2024 

Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr. RISCH) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To include pregnancy and loss of pregnancy as qualifying 

life events under the TRICARE program and to require 

a study on maternal health in 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 ‘‘Military Moms Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act: 

7 (1) COVERED BENEFICIARY; DEPENDENT; 

8 TRICARE PROGRAM.—The terms ‘‘covered beneVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:00 Aug 19, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4717.IS S4717

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1 ficiary’’, ‘‘dependent’’, and ‘‘TRICARE program’’ 

2 have the meanings given those terms in section 1072 

3 of title 10, United States Code. 

4 (2) MATERNAL HEALTH.—The term ‘‘maternal 

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

6 care, and postpartum care. 

7 (3) MATERNITY CARE DESERT.—The term 

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

9 United States that does not have— 

10 (A) a hospital or birth center offering ob11 stetric care; or 

12 (B) an obstetric provider. 

13 (4) PRENATAL CARE.—The term ‘‘prenatal 

14 care’’ means medical care provided to maintain and 

15 improve fetal and maternal health during pregnancy. 

16 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

17 the Secretary of Defense. 

18 SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF QUALIFYING LIFE EVENTS. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

20 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 

21 (1) update the list of qualifying life events 

22 under the TRICARE program to include pregnancy 

23 and loss of pregnancy; and 

24 (2) issue guidance to covered beneficiaries de25 scribing the documentation required to make enrollVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:00 Aug 19, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4717.IS S4717

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1 ment changes under the TRICARE program due to 

2 such qualifying life events, such as written confirma3 tion from a medical provider confirming a pregnancy 

4 or loss of pregnancy. 

5 (b) PROHIBITION.—This section shall not apply to a 

6 covered beneficiary who seeks to claim an abortion as a 

7 qualifying life event. 

8 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) ABORTION.—The term ‘‘abortion’’ means 

10 the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, 

11 drug, or other substance or device to intentionally— 

12 (A) kill the unborn child of a woman 

13 known to be pregnant; or 

14 (B) prematurely terminate the pregnancy 

15 of a woman known to be pregnant, with an in16 tention other than to— 

17 (i) increase the probability of a live 

18 birth or preserve the life or health of the 

19 child after a live birth; 

20 (ii) remove a dead unborn child; or 

21 (iii) treat an ectopic pregnancy. 

22 (2) LOSS OF PREGNANCY.—The term ‘‘loss of 

23 pregnancy’’ means miscarriage or stillbirth. 


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1 SEC. 4. REPORT ON ACCESS TO MATERNAL HEALTH CARE 

2 WITHIN THE MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years after the 

4 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub5 mit to the Committee on Armed Services and the Com6 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee 

7 on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations 

8 of the House of Representatives a report on access to ma9 ternal health care within the military health system for 

10 covered beneficiaries during the preceding two-year period. 

11 (b) CONTENTS.—The report required under sub12 section (a) shall include the following: 

13 (1) With respect to military medical treatment 

14 facilities, the following: 

15 (A) An analysis of the availability of ma16 ternal health care for covered beneficiaries who 

17 access the military health system through such 

18 facilities. 

19 (B) An identification of staffing shortages 

20 in positions relating to maternal health and 

21 childbirth, including obstetrician-gynecologists, 

22 certified nurse midwives, and labor and delivery 

23 nurses. 

24 (C) A description of specific challenges 

25 faced by covered beneficiaries in accessing ma26 ternal health care at such facilities. 


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1 (D) An analysis of the timeliness of access 

2 to maternal health care, including wait times 

3 for and travel times to appointments. 

4 (E) A description of how such facilities 

5 track patient satisfaction with maternal health 

6 services. 

7 (F) A process to establish continuity of 

8 prenatal care and postpartum care for covered 

9 beneficiaries who experience a permanent 

10 change of station during a pregnancy. 

11 (G) An identification of barriers with re12 gard to continuity of prenatal care and 

13 postpartum care during permanent changes of 

14 station. 

15 (H) A description of military-specific 

16 health challenges impacting covered bene17 ficiaries who receive maternal health care at 

18 military medical treatment facilities, and a de19 scription of how the Department tracks such 

20 challenges. 

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

22 date of the submission of the report, the 

23 amount of funds annually expended— 

24 (i) by the Department of Defense on 

25 maternal health care; and 


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1 (ii) by covered beneficiaries on out-of2 pocket costs associated with maternal 

3 health care. 

4 (J) An identification of each medical facil5 ity of the Department of Defense located in a 

6 maternity care desert. 

7 (K) Recommendations and legislative pro8 posals— 

9 (i) to address staffing shortages that 

10 impact the positions described in subpara11 graph (B); 

12 (ii) to improve the delivery and avail13 ability of maternal health services through 

14 military medical treatment facilities and 

15 improve patient experience; and 

16 (iii) to improve continuity of prenatal 

17 care and postpartum care for covered bene18 ficiaries during a permanent change of sta19 tion. 

20 (2) With respect to providers within the 

21 TRICARE program network that are not located at 

22 or affiliated with a military medical treatment facil23 ity, the following: 

24 (A) An analysis of the availability of ma25 ternal health care for covered beneficiaries who 


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1 access the military health system through such 

2 providers. 

3 (B) An identification of staffing shortages 

4 for such providers in positions relating to ma5 ternal health and childbirth, including obstetri6 cian-gynecologists, certified nurse midwives, and 

7 labor and delivery nurses. 

8 (C) A description of specific challenges 

9 faced by covered beneficiaries in accessing ma10 ternal health care from such providers. 

11 (D) An analysis of the timeliness of access 

12 to maternal health care, including wait times 

13 for and travel times to appointments. 

14 (E) A description of how such providers 

15 track patient satisfaction with maternal health 

16 services. 

17 (F) A process to establish continuity of 

18 prenatal care and postpartum care for covered 

19 beneficiaries who experience a permanent 

20 change of station during a pregnancy. 

21 (G) An identification of barriers with re22 gard to continuity of prenatal care and 

23 postpartum care during permanent changes of 

24 station. 


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1 (H) The number of dependents who choose 

2 to access maternal health care through such 

3 providers. 

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

5 date of the submission of the report, the 

6 amount of funds annually expended— 

7 (i) by the Department of Defense on 

8 maternal health care; and 

9 (ii) by covered beneficiaries on out-of10 pocket costs associated with maternal 

11 health care. 

12 (J) Recommendations and legislative pro13 posals— 

14 (i) to address staffing shortages that 

15 impact the positions described in subpara16 graph (B); 

17 (ii) to improve the delivery and avail18 ability of maternal health services through 

19 the TRICARE program and improve pa20 tient experience; 

21 (iii) to improve continuity of prenatal 

22 care and postpartum care for covered bene23 ficiaries during a permanent change of sta24 tion; and 


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1 (iv) to improve the ability of contrac2 tors under the TRICARE program to build 

3 a larger network of providers for maternal 

4 health, including obstetrician-gynecologists, 

5 certified nurse midwives, and labor and de6 livery nurses. 

7 SEC. 5. UPDATES TO MILITARY ONESOURCE PROGRAM. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

9 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall pub10 lish on a publicly available website of the Military 

11 OneSource program of the Department of Defense a dedi12 cated webpage that includes a comprehensive guide of re13 sources available to covered beneficiaries, including— 

14 (1) a list of maternal health services that are 

15 available to covered beneficiaries under the 

16 TRICARE program and at military medical treat17 ment facilities; 

18 (2) information on mental health counseling, 

19 pregnancy counseling, and other prepartum and 

20 postpartum services, including what services are re21 portable or non-reportable for members of the 

22 Armed Forces; 

23 (3) information on prenatal development, in24 cluding anticipated prenatal appointments and availVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:00 Aug 19, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4717.IS S4717

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1 able care for covered beneficiaries during prenatal 

2 development; 

3 (4) information on— 

4 (A) organizations that provide services and 

5 other resources to assist covered beneficiaries 

6 with maternal health needs and pregnancy sup7 port services located at, or in vicinity of, mili8 tary installations; and 

9 (B) Federal, State, and local maternal 

10 health care resources that are either covered by 

11 the TRICARE program or could otherwise be 

12 made available to a covered beneficiary; 

13 (5) information on resources to assist covered 

14 beneficiaries who are pregnant with anticipated 

15 changes and health challenges that result from preg16 nancy, including information on anticipated post17 natal appointments, available postnatal care for cov18 ered beneficiaries, and post-birth instructions spe19 cific to covered beneficiaries; 

20 (6) information on financial assistance available 

21 to covered beneficiaries to support pregnancy needs; 

22 (7) a best practice guide for smooth continuity 

23 of pregnancy care during a permanent change of 

24 station; and 


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1 (8) information specific to pregnant members of 

2 the Armed Forces, including leave options and regu3 lations, career field specific information and restric4 tions, physical fitness requirements, and uniform re5 sources and requirements. 

6 (b) LIMITATIONS.—The guide required by subsection 

7 (a) may not include information, references, or resources 

8 on abortion. 

9 (c) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall provide training 

10 to military and family life counselors available through the 

11 Military OneSource program on addressing the non-med12 ical needs of covered beneficiaries who are pregnant. 

13 (d) NOTIFICATION OF PREGNANCY.—The Secretary 

14 shall notify the head of the Military OneSource program 

15 when a covered beneficiary makes the Secretary aware of 

16 a pregnancy. 

17 (e) PLAN.—Not later than 540 days after the date 

18 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop 

19 and submit to Congress a plan for the Secretary to dis20 seminate to beneficiaries of the Military OneSource pro21 gram the guide required by subsection (a). 

Æ 


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