ACOG Applauds Another Win for Maternal Health: House Passage of H.R. 4996, the Helping MOMS Act

Washington, D.C. — Eva Chalas, MD, FACOG, FACS, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), issued the following statement regarding the passage of H.R. 4996, the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (MOMS) Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives:

“ACOG commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the bipartisan Helping MOMS Act, a critical piece of legislation that stands to have direct impact on eliminating preventable maternal deaths in the United States.

“This foundational bill will help close the critical gap in coverage for women who rely on Medicaid for pregnancy-related care by incentivizing states to extend coverage beyond the statutorily required 60 days to 12 months after delivery—a period during which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one-third of maternal deaths occur.

“Passage of H.R. 4996 comes on the heels of the House also passing H.R. 4995, the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act. These two bipartisan bills support evidence-based programs and policies that will help meaningfully move the needle to eliminate racial inequities in maternal health outcomes and end preventable maternal mortality.

“It has been an honor to work with Representatives Robin Kelly, PhD, and Michael C. Burgess, MD, FACOG, to advance this important legislation. ACOG urges the U.S. Senate to take action to ensure that both these bills are swiftly passed and signed into law.

“Much more needs to be done to address our nation’s maternal mortality crisis, including addressing racism and bias in the delivery of care and ensuring that all women have access to quality health care services. Enacting H.R. 4996 is a critical step in providing meaningful health coverage for every woman who needs it.”