I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6138 
To improve maternal health outcomes, especially for underserved populations, 
through investments in technology, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2020 
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. SE-
WELL of Alabama, Ms. NORTON, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. MOORE, Mr. CLAY, 
Mr. KHANNA, Ms. PRESSLEY, and Mr. LAWSON of Florida) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
A BILL 
To improve maternal health outcomes, especially for under-
served populations, through investments in technology, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tech to Save Moms 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CMI MODELING OF INTEGRATED TELEHEALTH 
MODELS IN MATERNITY CARE SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1115A(b)(2)(B) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315a(b)(2)(B)) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new clauses: 
‘‘(xxviii) Focusing on title XIX, pro-
viding for the adoption of and use of tele-
health tools that allow for screening and 
treatment of common pregnancy-related 
complications (including anxiety and de-
pression, substance use disorder, hemor-
rhage, infection, amniotic fluid embolism, 
thrombotic pulmonary or other embolism, 
hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cere-
brovascular accidents, cardiomyopathy, and 
other cardiovascular conditions) for a preg-
nant woman receiving medical assistance 
under such title during her pregnancy and 
for not more than a 1-year period begin-
ning on the last day of her pregnancy.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 3. GRANTS TO EXPAND THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY-EN-
ABLED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND CA-
PACITY MODELS THAT PROVIDE CARE TO 
PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN. 
Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended 
by inserting after section 330M (42 U.S.C. 254c–19) the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 
330N. 
EXPANDING 
CAPACITY 
FOR 
MATERNAL 
HEALTH OUTCOMES. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.—Beginning not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as appro-
priate, award grants to eligible entities to evaluate, de-
velop, and, as appropriate, expand the use of technology- 
enabled collaborative learning and capacity building mod-
els, to improve maternal health outcomes in health profes-
sional shortage areas; areas with high rates of maternal 
mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and significant 
racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes; 
and for medically underserved populations or American 
Indians and Alaska Natives, including Indian tribes, Trib-
al organizations, and urban Indian organizations. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIRED USES.—Grants awarded under 
subsection (a) shall be used for— 
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‘‘(A) the development and acquisition of 
instructional programming, and the training of 
maternal health care providers and other pro-
fessionals that provide or assist in the provision 
of services through models such as— 
‘‘(i) training on adopting and effec-
tively implementing Alliance for Innovation 
on Maternal Health (referred to in this 
section as ‘AIM’) safety and quality im-
provement bundles; 
‘‘(ii) training on implicit and explicit 
bias, racism, and discrimination for pro-
viders of maternity care; 
‘‘(iii) training on best practices in 
screening for and, as needed, evaluating 
and treating maternal mental health condi-
tions and substance use disorders; 
‘‘(iv) training on how to screen for so-
cial determinants of health risks in the 
prenatal and postpartum periods such as 
inadequate housing, lack of access to nutri-
tion, environmental risks, and transpor-
tation barriers; and 
‘‘(v) training on the use of remote pa-
tient monitoring tools for pregnancy-re-
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‘‘(A) equipment to support the use and ex-
pansion 
of 
technology-enabled 
collaborative 
learning and capacity building models, including 
for hardware and software that enables distance 
learning, maternal health care provider support, 
and the secure exchange of electronic health in-
formation; and 
‘‘(B) support for maternal health care pro-
viders and other professionals that provide or 
assist in the provision of maternity care services 
through such models. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) NUMBER.—The Secretary may not award 
more than 1 grant under this section to an eligible 
entity. 
‘‘(2) DURATION.—Each grant under this sec-
tion shall be made for a period of up to 5 years. 
‘‘(3) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall determine 
the maximum amount of each grant under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(d) GRANT REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall 
require entities awarded a grant under this section to col-
lect information on the effect of the use of technology- 
enabled collaborative learning and capacity building mod-
els, such as on maternal health outcomes, access to mater-
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nal health care services, quality of maternal health care, 
and maternal health care provider retention in areas and 
populations described in subsection (a). The Secretary 
may award a grant or contract to assist in the coordina-
tion of such models, including to assess outcomes associ-
ated with the use of such models in grants awarded under 
subsection (a), including for the purpose described in sub-
section (b)(1)(B). 
‘‘(e) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—An eligible entity that 
seeks to receive a grant under subsection (a) shall 
submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—Such appli-
cation shall include plans to assess the effect of 
technology-enabled collaborative learning and capac-
ity building models on indicators, including access to 
and quality of care, patient outcomes, subjective 
measures of patient experience, and cost-effective-
ness. Such indicators may focus on— 
‘‘(A) health professional shortage areas; 
‘‘(B) areas with high rates of maternal 
mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and 
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significant racial and ethnic disparities in ma-
ternal health outcomes; and 
‘‘(C) medically underserved populations or 
American Indians and Alaska Natives, includ-
ing Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and 
urban Indian organizations. 
‘‘(f) ACCESS
TO BROADBAND.—In administering 
grants under this section, the Secretary may coordinate 
with other agencies to ensure that funding opportunities 
are available to support access to reliable, high-speed 
internet for grantees. 
‘‘(g) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide (either directly through the Department of Health 
and Human Services or by contract) technical assistance 
to eligible entities, including recipients of grants under 
subsection (a), on the development, use, and post-grant 
sustainability of technology-enabled collaborative learning 
and capacity building models in order to expand access 
to maternal health care services provided by such entities, 
including for health professional shortage areas and areas 
with high rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal 
morbidity, and significant racial and ethnic disparities in 
maternal health outcomes, and to medically underserved 
populations or American Indians and Alaska Natives, in-
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cluding Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban In-
dian organizations. 
‘‘(h) RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.—The Secretary, 
in consultation with stakeholders with appropriate exper-
tise in such models, shall develop a strategic plan to re-
search and evaluate the evidence for such models. The 
Secretary shall use such plan to inform the activities car-
ried out under this section. 
‘‘(i) REPORTING.— 
‘‘(1) BY ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An eligible enti-
ty that receives a grant under subsection (a) shall 
submit to the Secretary a report, at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) BY THE SECRETARY.—Not later than 4 
years after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Congress, 
and post on the internet website of the Department 
of Health and Human Services, a report including, 
at minimum— 
‘‘(A) a description of any new and con-
tinuing grants awarded under subsection (a) 
and the specific purpose and amounts of such 
grants; 
‘‘(B) an overview of— 
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‘‘(i) the evaluations conducted under 
subsection (b); 
‘‘(ii) technical assistance provided 
under subsection (g); and 
‘‘(iii) activities conducted by entities 
awarded grants under subsection (a); and 
‘‘(C) a description of any significant find-
ings related to patient outcomes or maternal 
health care providers and best practices for eli-
gible entities expanding, using, or evaluating 
technology-enabled collaborative learning and 
capacity building models. 
‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
‘‘(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means an entity that provides, or supports 
the provision of, maternal health care services 
or other evidence-based services for pregnant 
and postpartum women— 
‘‘(i) in health professional shortage 
areas; 
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