BABIES Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 5202Health

BABIES Act

INTRO SEP 8· LAST ACTION SEP 8

READING

15MIN

COSPONSORS

READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL

NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST

Introduced only

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 / 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

Many communities across the U.S. are facing a shortage of maternity care services, often called 'maternity deserts,' which can make it difficult for pregnant people to access essential care. This bill is important because it tries to address this problem by making it easier for birth centers to open and grow, offering an alternative birthing option for those with low-risk pregnancies.

By exploring new payment models for birth centers within the Medicaid program, the bill aims to ensure these facilities can be financially stable and widely available for a significant portion of the population that relies on public health insurance. If successful, this could lead to better access to maternity care, potentially improving maternal and infant health outcomes, which is a critical public health issue in the United States today.

KEY PROVISIONS

4AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Establishes a federal grant program to provide funding to freestanding birth centers for start-up costs, expansion, renovation, equipment, and accreditation activities.

This provision directly helps birth centers establish or grow, especially in underserved areas, increasing access to alternative maternity care options.

PROVISION 02

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a Medicaid demonstration program to explore and implement more effective payment models for freestanding birth center services.

This could lead to more sustainable and equitable funding for birth centers within the Medicaid system, improving access and quality of care for low-income individuals.

PROVISION 03

Requires birth centers participating in the grant or demonstration programs to be accredited by a nationally recognized body and licensed by the state.

This ensures that birth centers receiving federal support or participating in the Medicaid program meet rigorous standards for quality and patient safety.

PROVISION 04

Mandates that participating birth centers have robust care coordination plans, including arrangements with hospitals for transfers, and capabilities for handling emergencies.

This provision enhances patient safety by ensuring seamless transitions of care and appropriate responses to unexpected complications during labor and delivery.

SPONSORSHIP

1 + 1

COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%

DEM 0 REP 1 IND 0

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

SEP 8

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

SEP 8

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 5202

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedSep 8, 2025

Last actionSep 8, 2025

READER REACTIONS

OVERALL SENTIMENT

No reactions yet. Be the first to weigh in.

Discussion

Loading comments...

Call my reps

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED SEP 8, 2025

House BillHR 5202Health

BABIES Act

INTRODUCED SEP 8, 2025· LAST ACTION SEP 8, 2025

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

15 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Establishes a federal grant program to provide funding to freestanding birth centers for start-up costs, expansion, renovation, equipment, and accreditation activities.

This provision directly helps birth centers establish or grow, especially in underserved areas, increasing access to alternative maternity care options.

high

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a Medicaid demonstration program to explore and implement more effective payment models for freestanding birth center services.

This could lead to more sustainable and equitable funding for birth centers within the Medicaid system, improving access and quality of care for low-income individuals.

med

Requires birth centers participating in the grant or demonstration programs to be accredited by a nationally recognized body and licensed by the state.

This ensures that birth centers receiving federal support or participating in the Medicaid program meet rigorous standards for quality and patient safety.

high

Mandates that participating birth centers have robust care coordination plans, including arrangements with hospitals for transfers, and capabilities for handling emergencies.

This provision enhances patient safety by ensuring seamless transitions of care and appropriate responses to unexpected complications during labor and delivery.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection

Secretary shall publish participation criteria for freestanding birth centers and establish a prospective payment system for the Medicaid demonstration program.

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

AMOUNT	PROGRAM	TYPE	YEARS
$5,000,000	Grants to improve access to freestanding birth center services	discretionary	fiscal years 2026 through 2030

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Birth Center: A healthcare facility, separate from a hospital, that provides prenatal care, labor and delivery services, and postpartum care primarily for low-risk pregnancies.
Accreditation: A process where an independent, nationally recognized body evaluates and confirms that a birth center meets specific quality and safety standards.
Underserved Areas: Geographic areas designated as having a shortage of healthcare professionals or facilities, making it difficult for residents to access necessary medical services.
Medicaid Demonstration Program: A temporary, experimental program under the Medicaid system that tests new approaches to healthcare delivery or payment models to improve health outcomes or efficiency.
Low-Risk Pregnancy: A pregnancy without significant medical complications or pre-existing conditions that would typically require specialized or intensive medical intervention during labor and delivery.
Peripartum Care: The medical care provided to a woman from the late stages of pregnancy, through labor and delivery, and up to several weeks after childbirth.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

SEP 8, 25

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

SEP 8, 25

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

INTROREFERRAL

READER REACTIONS

0 COMMENTS

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

What do you think?

0 votes

Discussion

Loading comments...

MORE INFORMATION

Committee Referrals

Energy and Commerce CommitteeReferred

Sep 8, 2025

house

Search

BABIES Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

BABIES Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

SPONSORS

READER REACTIONS

What do you think?

Discussion

MORE INFORMATION

Committee Referrals

Related Legislation