Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act; Healthy MOM Act
Summary
The Healthy MOM Act aims to improve maternal and newborn health by ensuring access to affordable health coverage for pregnant women. It mandates a special enrollment period for pregnant individuals under the Public Health Service Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Internal Revenue Code, and ERISA. The Act also requires coverage of maternity care for dependent children and addresses Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans, Medicaid, and CHIP.
Expected Effects
This act will likely increase access to prenatal and postpartum care for women, potentially reducing maternal mortality rates and improving health outcomes for both mothers and newborns. It also standardizes maternity care coverage across different types of health plans. The Act makes permanent 12-month continuous coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals under Medicaid and CHIP.
Potential Benefits
- Ensures access to affordable health coverage for pregnant women.
- Reduces financial barriers to maternity care.
- Improves health outcomes for women and newborns.
- Eliminates disparities in maternal health outcomes for pregnancy-related deaths.
- Provides continuous Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
Potential Disadvantages
- Increased costs for health insurance plans, potentially leading to higher premiums for all.
- Potential administrative burden for implementing the special enrollment period.
- Possible strain on healthcare resources due to increased demand for maternity care.
- May require states to adjust their Medicaid and CHIP programs, potentially requiring legislative changes.
- The Act's effectiveness depends on successful implementation and outreach to eligible women.
Constitutional Alignment
The Healthy MOM Act appears to align with the Constitution's broad goals of promoting the general welfare (Preamble). Congress has the power to legislate on matters related to healthcare and social welfare under the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8) and the Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8). The Act's provisions regarding Medicaid and CHIP fall under Congress's authority to provide for the general welfare through federal programs.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).