Title: Maternal Immunization Enhancement Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Maternal Immunization Enhancement Act
This bill establishes several administrative requirements relating to vaccination rates among pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must (1) issue guidance to states with best practices for increasing vaccination rates for certain vaccines that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and (2) consider adding a quality measure regarding prenatal immunization status for pregnant women under Medicaid and CHIP.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on vaccination rates among pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP, including barriers and demographic data.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1114 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1114

To increase vaccination rates among pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid 
                    or CHIP, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 14, 2021

Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To increase vaccination rates among pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid 
                    or CHIP, 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 Immunization Enhancement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Adult health quality measures.--The term ``Adult Health 
        Quality Measures'' means the core set of adult health quality 
        measures developed and published under section 1139B of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-9b).
            (2) Child health quality measures.--The term ``Child Health 
        Quality Measures'' means the core set of child health quality 
        measures developed and published under section 1139A of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-9a).
            (3) CHIP.--The term ``CHIP'' means the Children's Health 
        Insurance Program established under title XXI of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) and includes any 
        waivers of such program.
            (4) Medicaid.--The term ``Medicaid'' means the medical 
        assistance program established under title XIX of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) and includes any waivers 
        of such program.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given that 
        term for purposes of title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

SEC. 3. CMS GUIDANCE ON INCREASING VACCINATION RATES AMONG PREGNANT 
              WOMEN ENROLLED IN MEDICAID OR CHIP.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services, in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, shall issue guidance to States on increasing 
the vaccination rates for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 
recommended vaccines among pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in 
Medicaid or CHIP. The guidance issued under this subsection shall be 
updated as necessary not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act in consultation with the Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention and the results of the report to 
Congress required under section 5 by the Comptroller General of the 
United States.
    (b) Requirements.--The guidance issued under subsection (a) (and 
any update of such guidance) shall at a minimum include options and 
best practices for--
            (1) increasing the vaccination rates for Advisory Committee 
        on Immunization Practices recommended vaccines among pregnant 
        women, particularly with respect to the influenza, diphtheria, 
        tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines;
            (2) ways in which States may obtain Federal matching 
        payments under Medicaid and CHIP for obtaining and 
        administering such recommended vaccines to pregnant and 
        postpartum women, and recommendations for improving provider 
        participation under Medicaid and CHIP with respect to obtaining 
        and administering such recommended vaccines to pregnant and 
        postpartum women; and
            (3) ways in which State Medicaid programs may amplify 
        Federal, State, and local health department recommendations on 
        providing counseling and patient outreach and education 
        regarding such vaccines.

SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF PRENATAL IMMUNIZATION STATUS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN 
              QUALITY MEASURE IN THE CORE SETS OF HEALTH CARE QUALITY 
              MEASURES FOR CHILDREN ENROLLED IN MEDICAID OR CHIP AND 
              ADULTS ENROLLED IN MEDICAID.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and after consulting with the stakeholders described in 
section 1139A(b)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
9a(b)(3)), the Secretary shall consider adding a prenatal immunization 
status for pregnant women quality measure in either the--
            (1) Child's Health Quality Measures; or
            (2) Adult Health Quality Measures.
    (b) Requirement.--If the Secretary includes a prenatal immunization 
status for pregnant women quality measure in either such core set of 
health quality measures, the quality measure shall measure the 
percentage of deliveries in which pregnant women received vaccines 
recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during pregnancy.

SEC. 5. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to 
Congress on the vaccination rates among pregnant women enrolled in 
Medicaid or CHIP with respect to the Advisory Committee on Immunization 
Practices vaccines recommended for pregnant women. To the extent data 
are available, the report shall include the following:
            (1) The percentage of pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid 
        or CHIP who did not receive vaccines paid for by Medicaid or 
        CHIP as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization 
        Practices while pregnant.
            (2) To the extent practicable, an analysis of whether 
        structural barriers, such as cost sharing or other specific 
        requirements, are imposed under Medicaid or CHIP which impact 
        the vaccination rates among pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid 
        or CHIP with respect to the Advisory Committee on Immunization 
        Practices vaccines recommended for pregnant women.
            (3) To the extent practicable, an analysis of the reasons 
        why women enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP do not receive such 
        recommended vaccines recommended while pregnant.
            (4) To the extent practicable, demographic details 
        regarding the population of pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid 
        or CHIP, including race, ethnicity, and rural or urban 
        geographic location.
            (5) As the Comptroller General deems appropriate, 
        recommendations for legislative or administrative actions 
        relating to increasing the vaccination rates among pregnant 
        women enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP with respect to the Advisory 
        Committee on Immunization Practices vaccines recommended for 
        pregnant women.
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