119-hr3866

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3866 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3866

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance 
 on best practices for screening and treatment of congenital syphilis 
 under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 10, 2025

Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Ms. Stansbury) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
 in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
 of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
 concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance 
 on best practices for screening and treatment of congenital syphilis 
 under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, 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 ``Maternal and Infant Syphilis 
Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) In 2023, there were 209,253 cases of syphilis in the 
 United States, the highest number since 1950. This represents 
 an 80 percent increase since 2018 and continuing a decades-long 
 upward trend.

    (2) Untreated, syphilis can seriously damage the heart and 
 brain and can cause blindness, deafness, and paralysis.

    (3) The increased rise in syphilis cases is causing the 
 rise in congenital syphilis with more than 3,882, a 3 percent 
 increase from 2022, resulting in 252 stillbirths and 27 infant 
 deaths. The cases are more than 10 times the number diagnosed 
 in 2012.

    (4) When transmitted during pregnancy, congenital syphilis 
 can cause miscarriage, lifelong medical issues, and infant 
 death. Congenital syphilis can present health issues for babies 
 at birth, including neonatal death, meningitis, anemia, and 
 problems with the spleen and liver. If not treated, congenital 
 syphilis can cause bone and joint problems, vision and hearing 
 problems, issues with the nervous system, and developmental 
 delays.

    (5) High incidence rates of congenital syphilis are often 
 due to lack of timely testing or inadequate treatment during 
 pregnancy. Timely syphilis testing and treatment during 
 pregnancy might be able to prevent almost 90 percent of 
 congenital syphilis cases.

    (6) Requirements for syphilis screening among pregnant 
 women varies by State. The majority of States require syphilis 
 screening in the first visit, significantly less States require 
 syphilis screenings during the third trimester or at delivery.

    (7) Screening during the third trimester and at delivery 
 can lead to earlier detection of congenital syphilis and 
 prevent adverse health outcomes for mothers and newborn 
 infants.

    (8) Increased awareness and education are critical in 
 reducing syphilis among pregnant women to prevent congenital 
 syphilis.

SEC. 3. GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER STATE MEDICAID PROGRAMS 
 AND STATE CHIPS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue guidance to State 
agencies responsible for administering State Medicaid programs, State 
CHIPs, or both such programs, the Indian Health Service, Indian Tribes, 
tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations, on best practices 
with respect to actions that State Medicaid programs, State CHIPs, 
Indian health programs, and urban Indian health programs operated by an 
urban Indian organization pursuant to a grant or contract with the 
Indian Health Service pursuant to title V of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) may take, including by using 
waivers under 

section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) 
and authorities under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) 
and title XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), for the following 
purposes:

    (1) Improving access to expand syphilis screening for 
 pregnant women and babies.

    (2) Best practices for educating medical professionals and 
 pregnant women with respect to syphilis.

    (3) Strategies for integrating telehealth services and 
 training for providers and patients on the use of telehealth, 
 including working with interpreters to furnish health services 
 and providing resources with respect to congenital syphilis in 
 multiple languages.

    (4) Best practices for increasing testing for syphilis in 
 the third trimester and at delivery.

    (5) Improving treatment for syphilis and congenital 
 syphilis.

    (b) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Indian tribe, tribal organization, urban indian, urban 
 indian organization, indian health program.--The terms ``Indian 
 tribe'', ``tribal organization'', ``Urban Indian'', ``Urban 
 Indian organization'', and ``Indian health program'' have the 
 meanings given those terms in 

section 4 of the Indian Health 
 Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).

    (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services.

    (3) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such 
 term in 

section 1101

    (a)

    (1) of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1301

    (a)

    (1) ) for purposes of titles XIX and XXI of such 
 Act.

    (4) State chip.--The term ``State CHIP'' means a State 
 child health plan for child health assistance under title XXI 
 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), and 
 includes any waiver of such a plan.

    (5) State medicaid program.--The term ``State Medicaid 
 program'' means a State plan for medical assistance under title 
 XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and 
 includes any waiver of such a plan.
            (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate, and the 
Committee on Finance of the Senate, and shall make publicly available, 
a report analyzing the implementation of the best practices described 
in subsection

    (a) .
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