Healthy Moms and Babies Act

The Healthy Moms and Babies Act (S 948) establishes new requirements for Medicaid and CHIP programs to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. The bill mandates states to report on maternal health quality measures, including cesarean birth rates, and creates a "maternity health home" option allowing pregnant and postpartum women to receive coordinated care through designated providers. Key provisions include requiring quality improvement initiatives to reduce unnecessary cesarean sections, expanding access to doula services, and directing studies on racial disparities in maternal care. The act also requires states to collect data on social determinants of health affecting pregnant and postpartum women and provides guidance for improving care coordination across providers. These changes directly affect pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, as well as state Medicaid programs and healthcare providers.