Bill > S3974

Introduced Session

This bill requires Medicaid coverage for remote stress tests for pregnant women. Specifically, the bill provides that coverage under the Medicaid Program include benefits for expenses incurred in conducting, non-stress tests for pregnant women with high risk pregnancies, which have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for at-home use to monitor fetal and maternal heart rate and uterine activity, provided that there is federal financial participation available. It is the sponsor's belief that women with high risk pregnancies are often prescribed contraction stress tests twice per week during the third trimester, but only 40 percent of such women undergo the testing. Failure to undergo prescribed contraction stress tests can worsen existing health issues and contribute to maternal mortality. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the contraction stress test may be the primary means of fetal surveillance for many women with high-risk pregnancies. Undergoing such testing twice per week is impossible for many pregnant women. However, technology exists, which has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, to allow for at-home, contraction stress tests, consisting of 20 to 40 minute sessions to monitor fetal heart rate, fetal movement, and uterine contractions, under the oversight of trained clinicians.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Teresa Ruiz (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 06/15/2023)

Official Document