Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2025

This bill aims to improve pelvic health care for people during pregnancy and after birth. It tells federal health officials to give states clear guidance so Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program cover pelvic health services, including best practices, financing options, screening and referral steps, and common terms and diagnosis codes; this guidance must come within one year of the law. It also defines the postpartum period as the longer of the breastfeeding period or six months after pregnancy ends.

The bill orders a federal study within one year to find gaps in Medicaid coverage for postpartum women. It also creates a national education program led by the CDC to train health workers on pelvic floor exams and the benefits of pelvic health physical therapy, and to teach new mothers why these exams matter, how to get one, and how to obtain therapy if needed. The program is authorized $2 million per year from 2026 through 2030.

Key points

• Who is affected: New mothers (especially those on Medicaid or CHIP) and the health professionals who care for them.
• What changes: States get clear coverage guidance; a study will identify coverage gaps; and a CDC-led education and training effort will support exams and physical therapy for pelvic health .
• When: Guidance and the coverage-gap study are due within one year of the law; education funding runs from 2026 through 2030 .