The Blood Pressure MATTERS Act requires health insurance plans, Medicaid programs, and the Children's Health Insurance Program to cover self-measured blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum individuals without charging copayments or deductibles. This coverage applies to devices that allow individuals to measure their own blood pressure without a doctor's help, provided the device is FDA-cleared and listed on a specific validated registry. The law mandates that these devices be covered regardless of whether a person has been diagnosed with high blood pressure, but limits the benefit to one device per person every two years. These changes take effect approximately 120 days after the bill is enacted, with a grace period for states that need to pass additional legislation to comply.
This bill, titled the Constance C. McDaniel Medically Necessary Infant Formula and Donor Milk Act, directs the Department of Health and Human Services to create a three-year pilot program that provides financial assistance to eligible parents for purchasing infant formula or donor milk. To receive aid, parents must have a child under one year old who cannot breastfeed due to specific medical conditions, such as maternal illness, adoption, or infant digestive issues, and must not already qualify for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The program offers flexible funding methods like vouchers or reimbursements and requires the government to evaluate its effectiveness annually while reporting results to Congress. The initiative is authorized for a total of $60 million over four fiscal years and will end three years after the law is enacted.
The Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2026 directs the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pelvic health services, such as pelvic floor exams and physical therapy, during the postpartum period. This guidance will outline best practices for payment models, financing options, and technical assistance for state agencies to improve access to these care services. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to study gaps in coverage for these services and defines the postpartum period as lasting at least six months or as long as lactation continues. Additionally, the Act authorizes $2 million annually from 2027 to 2031 to fund a national education campaign that trains health professionals and informs postpartum women about the importance and availability of pelvic health care.
This bill establishes a grant program to help vulnerable mothers and babies in areas with high climate-related health risks, such as extreme heat and air pollution. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award up to $105 million over four years to community groups, healthcare providers, and local organizations for initiatives that provide cooling resources, health education, and support services. The program prioritizes areas with high rates of maternal and infant health disparities and requires grantees to address racial and ethnic inequities. Additionally, the bill creates a research consortium at the National Institutes of Health to study climate impacts on birth outcomes and funds training programs for health profession schools to better prepare providers for these risks.
H.R. 1295 is a non-binding resolution that expresses support for designating May 17, 2026, as DIPG Awareness Day to highlight diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a rare and aggressive brain tumor affecting children. The bill aims to increase public awareness of this condition and encourage research into treatments and cures for pediatric cancers. It calls on the public to learn more about DIPG and urges both government and private funding sources to consider the high mortality rates and lost life years associated with the disease when allocating research grants.
This bill strengthens the Vaccines for Children Program and Medicaid immunization coverage to improve vaccine access for children. It expands eligibility to include children enrolled in state child health plans and clarifies that providers can charge fees for vaccine administration and counseling services up to Medicare rates. The legislation also increases federal funding for Medicaid by 1% per quarter starting in 2027, contingent on states providing culturally competent vaccination outreach, and requires annual public reports on vaccination rates by demographic factors.
The IMPACT to Save Moms Act authorizes a five-year demonstration project from 2027 to 2031 to test new payment models for maternity care under Medicaid and state child health plans. This initiative requires the federal government to work with various stakeholders, including hospitals, providers, and community organizations, to design systems that improve health outcomes for pregnant individuals, with a specific focus on groups facing higher risks of poor maternal health. The proposed models must include methods to adjust payments based on pregnancy risk, consider non-hospital birth settings, and ensure care teams include diverse professionals trained to address implicit bias. Additionally, the bill mandates that the project be evaluated using data on health outcomes and costs, with a final report submitted to Congress to determine if the program should be expanded nationally.
The "Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026" mandates the creation of a new pilot program within the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. This program requires selected healthcare providers to offer a comprehensive set of "Accountable Produce is Medicine services" to eligible Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries. These services, provided without patient cost-sharing, include healthy foods (like fruits and vegetables), nutrition counseling, care coordination, and remote monitoring for individuals with specific chronic diseases in underserved areas. Participating programs will screen patients, deliver these services for a year, and track health data to evaluate outcomes and cost savings over a period of at least five years.
This bill extends eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to new mothers for up to two years after giving birth, instead of the current six-month limit. It also adjusts the breastfeeding requirement to allow continued participation for 24 months rather than one year, helping families receive nutritional support during a longer postpartum period. The legislation requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress within two years evaluating how these changes affect maternal and infant health, breastfeeding rates, and family experiences. Directly affected individuals include new mothers and their infants who currently lose access to WIC benefits before the end of their first year postpartum.
This bill extends federal funding for school-based health centers through fiscal year 2031. It directly affects schools and community organizations that operate health centers providing medical care to students. The key provision increases the annual grant amount to $55 million per year for the five-year period. This change ensures continued financial support for programs that offer healthcare services directly within educational settings. The legislation does not alter eligibility requirements or program structure, only the funding timeline and amount.
