Bill > S2059

This bill, known as the Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, is a comprehensive legislative effort to address maternal healthcare challenges in the United States, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The bill aims to enhance financial support for hospitals providing maternity and labor services, expand healthcare coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals, invest in the maternal healthcare workforce, and improve data collection and transparency around obstetric services. Key provisions include requiring states to conduct studies on the costs of maternity services, mandating minimum payment rates for eligible hospitals providing labor and delivery services, establishing optional "maternity health homes" to provide coordinated care for pregnant and postpartum individuals, increasing financial support for depression and anxiety screening, creating a streamlined process for out-of-state providers to enroll in Medicaid, and requiring hospitals to provide 180-day advance notice before closing an obstetric unit. The bill also seeks to address workforce shortages by supporting the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and providing resources for recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals in underserved communities. Additionally, it mandates more comprehensive data collection on hospital labor and delivery services to help policymakers better understand and address maternal healthcare challenges.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2059/all-info