U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on Dec. 14 signed on as an original cosponsor of a bipartisan bill that would ensure new and expectant mothers and their newborns have access to every technological tool necessary to support their health.
Specifically, the congressman introduced the Connected Maternal Online Monitoring (MOM) Act, H.R. 9546, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) to identify and address barriers to coverage of remote physiologic devices under state Medicaid programs to improve maternal and child health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women, according to the congressional record bill summary.
“The bipartisan Connected MOM Act is common sense legislation that will help improve care for pregnant women covered by Medicaid,” Rep. Burgess said. “I served women and their newborns in north Texas as an OB/GYN for almost 30 years. I can personally attest to the power of incorporating these cutting-edge technologies and devices to strengthen patient care and improve health outcomes for mothers and babies in Texas and across the country.”
If enacted, H.R. 9546 would encourage easier access to devices and services that allow physicians to remotely monitor their pregnant patients to identify life-threatening complications like blood pressure irregularities, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Burgess’ staff.
The bill also would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide recommendations and resources to state Medicaid programs on how to cover these devices to make them more accessible in the future, the summary says.
“The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in any developed nation in the world, disproportionately impacting communities of color,” said Rep. Frankel. “Virtual medical monitoring can identify pregnancy and postpartum complications, improving maternal health outcomes.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports H.R. 9546, which is companion legislation to the same-named S. 801, introduced in March 2021 by U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).