Maternal Health for Veterans Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4694
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T16:59:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation establishes a mandatory maternity care coordination program within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support eligible veterans during pregnancy and the postpartum period, with a focus on improving maternal health outcomes and addressing mental and behavioral health needs.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must implement a program providing care coordination from the start of pregnancy through 12 months postpartum for veterans enrolled in the VA's annual patient enrollment system.
- The program requires systematic collection and review of data on mental health screenings performed by maternity care coordinators, along with a performance management process to track progress toward defined goals.
- Training and support must be provided to community maternity care providers on the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum veterans, particularly regarding mental and behavioral health conditions linked to military service.
- Annual reports to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees must include summaries of program activities, disaggregated data on maternal health outcomes (such as maternal mortality, pregnancy-related deaths, and severe maternal morbidity) by factors including race, ethnicity, age, disability, and rural residence, progress on external recommendations, and any new recommendations for improvement.
- Data in reports must comply with federal privacy laws, including the Privacy Act and HIPAA.
- The bill repeals Section 3 of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new section (1786A) to Subchapter VIII of Chapter 17 of Title 38, United States Code, creating explicit statutory requirements for a VA maternity care coordination program with specific operational, data, and reporting mandates. It also repeals a prior statutory provision from 2021 related to similar maternal health efforts.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: The VA must develop and maintain new coordination processes, data systems, training programs, and annual reporting mechanisms.
- On citizens: Eligible veterans may receive more structured maternity care and mental health support, potentially improving outcomes in areas such as maternal mortality and severe morbidity.
- No direct effects on international relations are specified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Eligible veterans enrolled in the VA health care system who become pregnant or postpartum.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs and its facilities.
- Community maternity care providers (including physicians, midwives, doulas, and lactation consultants) who deliver services to veterans.
- Congressional committees responsible for veterans' affairs oversight.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation imposes new mandatory duties on the executive branch through amendments to Title 38, emphasizing data transparency on health disparities while requiring adherence to existing privacy protections. It builds on prior maternal health initiatives by codifying program elements and repealing a related 2021 provision, potentially consolidating or updating prior requirements.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2026-06-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Maternal Health for Veterans Act — issued 2026-06-04 — PDF (9 pages)