Maternal Health Advocacy Updates

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Mounting pressures on the health care workforce have created a crisis with short-term staffing shortages and a long-range picture of an unfulfilled talent pipeline, and significant projected shortages of physicians and allied health and behavioral health care providers will likely be felt even more strongly in underserved communities, AHA told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in a statement submitted for a hearing May 2.
The House March 5 voted 382-12 to pass the AHA-supported Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3838), bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize federal support for state-based committees that review pregnancy-related deaths to identify causes and make recommendations to prevent future mortalities.
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Feb. 29 held a hearing on legislative proposals to expand access to treatment for patients with rare diseases, which included two hospital witnesses.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (PL 117-328), signed into law in December 2022, contained a number of important maternal and child health provisions supported by the AHA.
The House Ways and Means Committee today voted to advance to the full House bipartisan legislation (H.R. 8876) that would reauthorize the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and double annual funding for the program to $800 million over five years.
The House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees approved their legislative recommendations for the Build Back Better Act, which will be considered under budget reconciliation.
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health voted to advance to the full committee a number of AHA-supported bills focused on maternal health and social determinants of health.
The Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) wrote to the co-sponsors of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 (H.R. 959/S. 346) to reiterate the coalition’s support for the legislation.
The AHA voiced support for several provisions in the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021.
The 115 undersigned national organizations dedicated to improving maternal health urge you to swiftly pass the bipartisan Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act (H.R. 4995) and the bipartisan Helping MOMS Act of 2020 (H.R. 4996) as soon as possible – whether as part of the next spending package or another appropriate legislative vehicle before the end of the 116th Congress. Final passage of H.R. 4995 and H.R. 4996 is a critical and foundational next step in Congress’ work to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health.
The AHA and 114 other national organizations urged leaders from the House and Senate to swiftly pass the bipartisan Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act (H.R. 4995) and the bipartisan Helping MOMS Act of 2020 (H.R. 4996).
The House of Representatives passed by voice vote the AHA-supported Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act (H.R. 4996), as amended.
Maternal health is a top priority for the AHA and our member hospitals and health systems, and our initial efforts are aimed at eliminating maternal mortality and reducing severe morbidity.
The AHA appreciates the opportunity to provide input on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Request for Information regarding maternal and infant health care in rural communities.
AHA Executive Vice President Tom NIckels provides a statement on the black maternal health Momnibus Act.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee this week approved two AHA-supported bills to strengthen maternal care and access to care, including in rural areas.
AHA letter expressing support for the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act (H.R.