Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6442
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Families
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-04: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-04T18:39:12Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act" (H.R. 6442) aims to ensure that biological fathers share financial responsibility for certain medical costs related to pregnancy and childbirth by incorporating these obligations into federal child support enforcement rules. It seeks to support mothers by allowing them to request reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses through established child support systems.
Key Provisions
- New Child Support Requirement: States must establish and enforce an obligation for the biological father to pay at least 50% of the mother's reasonable out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred during pregnancy and delivery. This includes costs like health insurance premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and similar charges.
- Request-Based Enforcement: The obligation only applies if the mother specifically requests the payment.
- Exclusion of Abortion Expenses: The law explicitly states that expenses related to abortions are not considered medical expenses under this provision. Abortion is defined as the intentional use of any instrument, medicine, drug, or device to kill an unborn child or terminate a pregnancy, excluding procedures intended to increase the chances of a live birth, preserve the life or health of the child after birth, or remove an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the uterus) or a dead unborn child.
- Effective Date: The changes take effect on January 1 of the first calendar year after the bill's enactment. States that need to pass their own laws to comply get a delay until the first day of the first calendar quarter after their next legislative session ends.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Section 454 of the Social Security Act, which outlines state plan requirements for child support enforcement under Title IV (Aid to Families with Dependent Children). It adds a new paragraph (35) to expand child support obligations to cover pre-birth medical expenses tied to pregnancy and delivery, which were not previously mandated at the federal level. Prior law focused child support primarily on post-birth needs, so this introduces a proactive requirement for paternal financial involvement during pregnancy.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: State child support enforcement agencies will need to update procedures, track requests from mothers, and pursue collections from fathers, potentially increasing administrative workload and costs. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will oversee state compliance, which may require additional federal guidance or funding adjustments.
- On Citizens: Mothers may gain easier access to financial relief for pregnancy-related medical bills, reducing personal financial burdens. Biological fathers could face new or adjusted child support orders, affecting their finances. Overall, it may encourage shared responsibility in family planning but could strain low-income families if enforcement leads to disputes.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as this is a domestic policy focused on U.S. family law and social welfare.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Biological Mothers: Primary beneficiaries, as they can request and receive support for medical costs.
- Biological Fathers: Directly obligated to pay, potentially facing legal enforcement actions.
- Children: Indirectly benefited through reduced financial stress on mothers during early family formation.
- State Child Support Agencies: Responsible for implementing and enforcing the new rules.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): Oversees federal compliance and may provide technical support to states.
- Healthcare Providers and Insurers: Could see indirect effects through changes in how medical bills are reimbursed via child support.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens federal oversight of state child support programs by mandating a specific pre-birth obligation, which could lead to more uniform enforcement nationwide but may require courts to determine "reasonable" expenses and paternity in new contexts.
- Constitutional Implications: Could raise questions about due process (e.g., how fathers are notified and given a chance to contest obligations) or equal protection (e.g., ensuring fairness between parents), though it aligns with existing child support frameworks that hold parents accountable for child-related costs.
- Political Implications: The explicit exclusion of abortion expenses may highlight debates on reproductive rights, positioning the bill as supportive of traditional family structures while avoiding funding for certain procedures; it could influence broader discussions on parental responsibilities and welfare policy without altering abortion laws directly.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-04: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2025-12-04: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-04: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act — issued 2025-12-04 — PDF (4 pages)