Neonatal Care Transparency Act of 2025

This bill makes hospitals and obstetric providers clearly tell patients their rules for treating extremely premature babies. Hospitals must publicly share whether they have a minimum gestational age for giving life-saving care, whether they decide case by case, and how they will transfer a mother and baby to a NICU that will provide care if they cannot. Providers must give this information at the first prenatal visit for any hospital where they can admit patients. The goal is to help parents understand options early, since hospitals vary widely in when they will intervene for very premature infants and families deserve clear, timely information .

Hospitals must meet these disclosure rules, and they must ensure their obstetric providers do too, starting January 1, 2026. If a hospital or provider fails to make these disclosures, Medicaid and CHIP will not pay them, starting 180 days after the bill becomes law .

• Who is affected | What changes | When
• Parents and families | Get clear, early information on a hospital’s policy for life-saving care for premature babies, including transfer plans if needed | At the first prenatal visit and via public hospital postings
• Hospitals | Must publicly post their policy and ensure obstetric providers share it with patients | By January 1, 2026
• Obstetric providers | Must tell patients the hospital policy at the first prenatal visit | Ongoing once in effect
• Hospitals and providers taking Medicaid/CHIP | Risk loss of Medicaid/CHIP payments if they do not follow these disclosure rules | 180 days after enactment