The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee could vote on a bill by the end of June that aims to lower pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths among women.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Wednesday that the bill, the Maternal Health Accountability Act, could receive a vote June 20 among other legislation the committee is considering.
He noted that Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the committee, had urged him to advance the legislation, sponsored by Sen. Heidi Heitcamp, D-N.D., and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
The bill would allow the federal government to support the creation of maternal mortality review committees in states, which would study maternal deaths and make recommendations about how they can be prevented. The groups, which don’t exist in every state, are made up of epidemiologists, OB-GYNs, social workers, nurses, and patient advocates, and make suggestions that include encouraging treatment for diabetes, obesity, or substance abuse disorder.
The legislation has a House companion, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, which is authored by Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.
Both chambers have been calling for legislation that would provide more information on maternal deaths, which some data suggest appear to be rising, and are occurring at a higher rate than other developed nations.
Other bills up for consideration would advance research on sickle cell disease and better tracking of dementia.
