Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-346
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-02-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Building construction
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Child care and development
Child health
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Community life and organization
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of Health and Human Services
Digital media
Disability and health-based discrimination
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee hiring
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Energy assistance for the poor and aged
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Executive agency funding and structure
Family services
Food assistance and relief
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Immunology and vaccination
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Lighting, heating, cooling
Low- and moderate-income housing
Medicaid
Medical education
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Minority education
Minority employment
Minority health
Nursing
Nutrition and diet
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Racial and ethnic relations
Right of privacy
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Technology assessment
Transportation safety and security
Veterans' medical care
Wages and earnings
Water quality
Water use and supply
Women's education
Women's employment
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-22
text: 

Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021

 
This bill directs multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
 
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments must address the social determinants of maternal health, which include child care, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions.
 
The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children.
 
Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce.
 
To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must (1) award specified grants; (2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and (3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives.
 
The bill also increases research and data collection on maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly among tribal populations and minority groups.
 
The Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice must establish programs to improve maternity care for incarcerated populations. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must also report on the impact of Medicaid ineligibility for pregnant and postpartum prisoners. Additionally, as a condition for certain grants, states and territories must have laws limiting the use of restraints on pregnant individuals in prisons.
 
The bill also directs activities to mitigate adverse maternal health outcomes associated with climate change and to improve maternal vaccination rates.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-02-22
text: Introduced in Senate