Sponsors (37)
The bill seeks to improve postpartum pelvic health through guidance, training, and modest federal funding—potentially expanding access and provider capacity—while leaving adoption to states (limiting guaranteed impact) and creating possible state costs, administrative burdens, and privacy and out-of-pocket risks for some women.
Postpartum women (including Medicaid beneficiaries) will have increased awareness of and potential access to pelvic floor exams and pelvic health physical therapy through federal guidance, education, and outreach.
Health professionals and hospital systems will receive training and resources to better diagnose and refer for pelvic floor conditions, improving quality of care.
States and federal policymakers gain practical tools and support — recommended payment models, financing options (including use of CHIP HSI funds), a GAO study identifying coverage gaps, and authorized implementation funding — to guide expansion of postpartum pelvic health services without new statutory changes.
If states choose not to adopt the guidance, many postpartum Medicaid recipients may see little or no change in coverage or access because the bill issues guidance rather than requiring coverage.
Adopting the recommended expansions or incentives could increase state Medicaid/CHIP program costs, forcing trade-offs in state budgets or higher state spending/taxes.
Increased demand from training and referral efforts could raise out-of-pocket costs for patients who lack coverage for pelvic health physical therapy.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Directs HHS guidance on Medicaid/CHIP coverage for prenatal and postpartum pelvic health, orders a GAO study of coverage gaps, and funds a CDC pelvic health training program ($2M/year FY2026–2030).
Requires HHS to issue guidance within one year to clarify Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pelvic health services during pregnancy and the postpartum period, directs the Government Accountability Office to study gaps in Medicaid coverage for postpartum services, and creates a CDC-led program to educate health professionals and postpartum people about pelvic floor exams and pelvic health physical therapy. The CDC program is funded at $2 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030 and the law defines the postpartum period as the longer of the lactation period or six months after pregnancy.
Introduced June 23, 2025 by Donald J. Bacon · Last progress June 23, 2025