Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act
Bill: H.R.6612 | Sponsor: Rep. Manning, Kathy E. (D-NC)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act
This bill provides a 90% federal matching rate for Medicaid maternal health care expenditures that exceed 2021 levels. Qualifying services must be provided by maternity care providers or perinatal health workers (e.g., doulas) and include prenatal and postpartum telehealth services, home visits, and behavioral health care.

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide a higher 
  Federal matching rate for increased expenditures under Medicaid for 
                     maternal health care services.

    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 ``Advancing Maternal Health Equity 
Under Medicaid Act''.

SEC. 2. HIGHER FMAP FOR INCREASED EXPENDITURES UNDER MEDICAID FOR 
              MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES.

    Section 1903 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(5)--
                    (A) by striking ``an amount equal'' and inserting 
                ``(A) an amount equal''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following: ``and
                    ``(B) for calendar quarters beginning on or after 
                January 1 of the year beginning after one year after 
                the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, an 
                amount equal to 90 percent of the amounts by which--
                            ``(i) the sum of the amounts expended which 
                        are attributable to the offering, arranging, 
                        and furnishing (directly or on a contract 
                        basis) under the State plan (or waiver of the 
                        plan) of maternal health care services (as 
                        described in subsection (b)(6)(B)) for such 
                        quarter, exceeds
                            ``(ii) the sum of the amounts expended 
                        which are attributable to the offering, 
                        arranging, and furnishing (directly or on a 
                        contract basis) under the State plan (or waiver 
                        of the plan) of such services for the 
                        corresponding quarter in the four-quarter 
                        period ending on December 31, 2021, plus''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(6) Accountability and maintenance of effort requirements 
        for additional federal funding for increased expenditures for 
        maternal health care services.--
                    ``(A) In general.--As conditions for receiving the 
                funds the Secretary is otherwise obligated to pay to a 
                State under subsection (a)(5)(B), a State shall meet 
                the following requirements:
                            ``(i) Supplement, not supplant.--The State 
                        shall use the funds received under such 
                        subsection to supplement, not supplant, the 
                        level of State funds expended for the offering, 
                        arranging, and furnishing (directly or on a 
                        contract basis) under the State plan (or under 
                        a waiver of the plan) of maternal health care 
                        services (as described in subparagraph (B)) 
                        through programs and activities in effect as of 
                        January 1, 2022.
                            ``(ii) Use of funds for activities that 
                        improve delivery of maternal health care 
                        services.--The State shall use the funds 
                        received under such subsection for activities 
                        that increase the capacity, efficiency, and 
                        quality in the provision of maternal health 
                        care services.
                    ``(B) Definitions.--For purposes of this paragraph 
                and subsection (a)(5)(B):
                            ``(i) Maternal health care services.--
                        Maternal health care services described in this 
                        subparagraph are services furnished by a 
                        maternity care provider or perinatal health 
                        worker, such as the following:
                                    ``(I) Prenatal, labor and delivery, 
                                and postpartum health care services 
                                that are furnished in a licensed and 
                                accredited hospital, birth center, 
                                midwifery practice, or other health 
                                care practice that provides prenatal 
                                services, labor and delivery services, 
                                and postpartum services.
                                    ``(II) Telehealth services during 
                                the prenatal and postpartum periods.
                                    ``(III) Home visiting services 
                                during the prenatal and postpartum 
                                periods.
                                    ``(IV) Mental or behavioral health 
                                care services for individuals during 
                                the prenatal and postpartum periods.
                            ``(ii) Maternity care provider.--The term 
                        `maternity care provider' means a health care 
                        provider who--
                                    ``(I) is a physician, physician 
                                assistant, midwife who meets at a 
                                minimum the international definition of 
                                the midwife and global standards for 
                                midwifery education as established by 
                                the International Confederation of 
                                Midwives, nurse practitioner, or 
                                clinical nurse specialist; and
                                    ``(II) has a focus on maternal or 
                                perinatal health.
                            ``(iii) Perinatal health worker.--The term 
                        `perinatal health worker' means a doula, 
                        community health worker, breastfeeding and 
                        lactation educator or counselor, nutritionist 
                        or dietitian, childbirth educator, social 
                        worker, home visitor, or language interpreter.
                            ``(iv) Postpartum and postpartum period.--
                        The terms `postpartum' and `postpartum period' 
                        each refer to the 1-year period beginning on 
                        the last day of the pregnancy of an 
                        individual.''.
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