119-hr2730

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2730 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2730

 To include pregnancy and loss of pregnancy as qualifying life events 
under the TRICARE program and to require a study on maternal health in 
 the military heath system, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 8, 2025

 Ms. Mace (for herself, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Wittman, and Mr. Turner of 
 Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To include pregnancy and loss of pregnancy as qualifying life events 
under the TRICARE program and to require a study on maternal health in 
 the military heath system, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Military Moms Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Covered beneficiary; dependent; tricare program.--The 
 terms ``covered beneficiary'', ``dependent'', and ``TRICARE 
 program'' have the meanings given those terms in 

section 1072 
 of title 10, United States Code.

    (2) Maternal health.--The term ``maternal health'' means 
 care during labor, birthing, prenatal care, and postpartum 
 care.

    (3) Maternity care desert.-- The term ``maternity care 
 desert'' means a county in the United States that does not 
 have--
        (A) a hospital or birth center offering obstetric 
 care; or
        (B) an obstetric provider.

    (4) Prenatal care.--The term ``prenatal care'' means 
 medical care provided to maintain and improve fetal and 
 maternal health during pregnancy.

    (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Defense.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF QUALIFYING LIFE EVENTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--

    (1) update the list of qualifying life events under the 
 TRICARE program to include pregnancy and loss of pregnancy; and

    (2) issue guidance to covered beneficiaries describing the 
 documentation required to make enrollment changes under the 
 TRICARE program due to such qualifying life events, such as 
 written confirmation from a medical provider confirming a 
 pregnancy or loss of pregnancy.

    (b) Prohibition.--This section shall not apply to a covered 
beneficiary who seeks to claim an abortion as a qualifying life event.
            (c) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Abortion.--The term ``abortion'' means the use or 
 prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or other 
 substance or device to intentionally--
        (A) kill the unborn child of a woman known to be 
 pregnant; or
        (B) prematurely terminate the pregnancy of a woman 
 known to be pregnant, with an intention other than to--
            (i) increase the probability of a live 
 birth or preserve the life or health of the 
 child after a live birth;
            (ii) remove a dead unborn child; or
            (iii) treat an ectopic pregnancy.

    (2) Loss of pregnancy.--The term ``loss of pregnancy'' 
 means miscarriage or stillbirth.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON ACCESS TO MATERNAL HEALTH CARE WITHIN THE MILITARY 
 HEALTH SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and 
the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives a report on access to maternal health care 
within the military health system for covered beneficiaries during the 
preceding two-year period.

    (b) Contents.--The report required under subsection

    (a) shall 
include the following:

    (1) With respect to military medical treatment facilities, 
 the following:
        (A) An analysis of the availability of maternal 
 health care for covered beneficiaries who access the 
 military health system through such facilities.
        (B) An identification of staffing shortages in 
 positions relating to maternal health and childbirth, 
 including obstetrician-gynecologists, certified nurse 
 midwives, and labor and delivery nurses.
            (C) A description of specific challenges faced by 
 covered beneficiaries in accessing maternal health care 
 at such facilities.
            (D) An analysis of the timeliness of access to 
 maternal health care, including wait times for and 
 travel times to appointments.
        (E) A description of how such facilities track 
 patient satisfaction with maternal health services.
        (F) A process to establish continuity of prenatal 
 care and postpartum care for covered beneficiaries who 
 experience a permanent change of station during a 
 pregnancy.
        (G) An identification of barriers with regard to 
 continuity of prenatal care and postpartum care during 
 permanent changes of station.
        (H) A description of military-specific health 
 challenges impacting covered beneficiaries who receive 
 maternal health care at military medical treatment 
 facilities, and a description of how the Department 
 tracks such challenges.
            (I) For the 10-year period preceding the date of 
 the submission of the report, the amount of funds 
 annually expended--
            (i) by the Department of Defense on 
 maternal health care; and
            (ii) by covered beneficiaries on out-of-
 pocket costs associated with maternal health 
 care.
        (J) An identification of each medical facility of 
 the Department of Defense located in a maternity care 
 desert.
        (K) Recommendations and legislative proposals--
            (i) to address staffing shortages that 
 impact the positions described in subparagraph
        (B) ;
            (ii) to improve the delivery and 
 availability of maternal health services 
 through military medical treatment facilities 
 and improve patient experience; and
            (iii) to improve continuity of prenatal 
 care and postpartum care for covered 
 beneficiaries during a permanent change of 
 station.

    (2) With respect to providers within the TRICARE program 
 network that are not located at or affiliated with a military 
 medical treatment facility, the following:
        (A) An analysis of the availability of maternal 
 health care for covered beneficiaries who access the 
 military health system through such providers.
        (B) An identification of staffing shortages for 
 such providers in positions relating to maternal health 
 and childbirth, including obstetrician-gynecologists, 
 certified nurse midwives, and labor and delivery 
 nurses.
            (C) A description of specific challenges faced by 
 covered beneficiaries in accessing maternal health care 
 from such providers.
            (D) An analysis of the timeliness of access to 
 maternal health care, including wait times for and 
 travel times to appointments.
        (E) A description of how such providers track 
 patient satisfaction with maternal health services.
        (F) A process to establish continuity of prenatal 
 care and postpartum care for covered beneficiaries who 
 experience a permanent change of station during a 
 pregnancy.
        (G) An identification of barriers with regard to 
 continuity of prenatal care and postpartum care during 
 permanent changes of station.
        (H) The number of dependents who choose to access 
 maternal health care through such providers.
            (I) For the 10-year period preceding the date of 
 the submission of the report, the amount of funds 
 annually expended--
            (i) by the Department of Defense on 
 maternal health care; and
            (ii) by covered beneficiaries on out-of-
 pocket costs associated with maternal health 
 care.
        (J) Recommendations and legislative proposals--
            (i) to address staffing shortages that 
 impact the positions described in subparagraph
        (B) ;
            (ii) to improve the delivery and 
 availability of maternal health services 
 through the TRICARE program and improve patient 
 experience;
            (iii) to improve continuity of prenatal 
 care and postpartum care for covered 
 beneficiaries during a permanent change of 
 station; and
            (iv) to improve the ability of contractors 
 under the TRICARE program to build a larger 
 network of providers for maternal health, 
 including obstetrician-gynecologists, certified 
 nurse midwives, and labor and delivery nurses.

SEC. 5. UPDATES TO MILITARY ONESOURCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish on a publicly 
available website of the Military OneSource program of the Department 
of Defense a dedicated webpage that includes a comprehensive guide of 
resources available to covered beneficiaries, including--

    (1) a list of maternal health services that are available 
 to covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE program and at 
 military medical treatment facilities;

    (2) information on mental health counseling, pregnancy 
 counseling, and other prepartum and postpartum services, 
 including what services are reportable or non-reportable for 
 members of the Armed Forces;

    (3) information on prenatal development, including 
 anticipated prenatal appointments and available care for 
 covered beneficiaries during prenatal development;

    (4) information on--
        (A) organizations that provide services and other 
 resources to assist covered beneficiaries with maternal 
 health needs and pregnancy support services located at, 
 or in vicinity of, military installations; and
        (B) Federal, State, and local maternal health care 
 resources that are either covered by the TRICARE 
 program or could otherwise be made available to a 
 covered beneficiary;

    (5) information on resources to assist covered 
 beneficiaries who are pregnant with anticipated changes and 
 health challenges that result from pregnancy, including 
 information on anticipated postnatal appointments, available 
 postnatal care for covered beneficiaries, and post-birth 
 instructions specific to covered beneficiaries;

    (6) information on financial assistance available to 
 covered beneficiaries to support pregnancy needs;

    (7) a best practice guide for smooth continuity of 
 pregnancy care during a permanent change of station; and

    (8) information specific to pregnant members of the Armed 
 Forces, including leave options and regulations, career field 
 specific information and restrictions, physical fitness 
 requirements, and uniform resources and requirements.

    (b) Limitations.--The guide required by subsection

    (a) may not 
include information, references, or resources on abortion.
            (c) Training.--The Secretary shall provide training to military and 
family life counselors available through the Military OneSource program 
on addressing the non-medical needs of covered beneficiaries who are 
pregnant.
            (d) Notification of Pregnancy.--The Secretary shall notify the head 
of the Military OneSource program when a covered beneficiary makes the 
Secretary aware of a pregnancy.

    (e) Plan.--Not later than 540 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and submit to Congress a plan 
for the Secretary to disseminate to beneficiaries of the Military 
OneSource program the guide required by subsection

    (a) .
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