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Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act

Health

10 pages

house

senate

president

Introduced on February 12, 2025 by Robin L. Kelly

Sponsors (37)

House Votes

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Senate Votes

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AI Summary

Text Versions

Text as it was Introduced in House

February 12, 2025•10 pages

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Amendments

No Amendments

This bill aims to make pregnancy and birth emergencies safer in rural communities. It boosts training and support for hospitals that don’t have labor and delivery units, so local teams can spot problems, stabilize patients, and arrange safe transfers when needed. Training covers issues like heavy bleeding, severe high blood pressure, heart problems, mental health needs, substance use, and infections during pregnancy and after birth.

It also offers grants to rural hospitals and similar facilities to buy needed equipment, build their workforce, run team-based drills and simulations, and set up clear transfer plans. There is a pilot to expand telehealth so local providers can get rapid, real-time help from maternal health experts. The bill directs a national study to map maternity ward closures and how patients are moved, to help design better regional care .

Who is affected: Rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals; states, local governments, and Tribal nations; and patients in areas with too few maternity providers .
What changes: A new training push for emergency obstetric care in rural facilities without OB units; grants to buy equipment, hire staff, and run hands-on training; statewide or regional telehealth networks for urgent maternal care; and a study of rural OB unit closures and patient transfers .
When: If funded, the bill would allow up to $5 million for rural training during fiscal years 2026–2028; up to $15 million for equipment and workforce support during 2026–2029; and up to $5 million for telehealth during 2026–2029. The study’s report is due within three years of enactment .