Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act
Sponsored By: Senator Maggie Hassan
Introduced
Summary
Boosts rural hospitals' ability to handle obstetric emergencies. The bill directs the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to fund training, buy equipment, expand telehealth, and study where maternity services have closed to improve urgent maternal care in rural and underserved areas.
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- Families: Pregnant people in rural areas get more local emergency preparedness and clearer transfer support for conditions like hemorrhage, severe hypertension, sepsis, and substance use. This aims to reduce delays in urgent maternal care.
- Rural hospitals and clinicians: Rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals can receive grants for workforce training, hiring, simulation exercises, and emergency obstetric equipment. The bill authorizes $15 million for support grants and $5 million for a training program.
- States, tribes, and networks: States, political subdivisions, and Tribal organizations can get teleconsultation grants to build rapid maternal telehealth networks and referral systems, with $5 million authorized and required reporting on program results within 18 months.
*Authorizes about $25 million in new federal funding for 2026–2029, increasing federal spending.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to strengthen rural maternity care
If enacted, the bill would let HHS award grants to rural hospitals and consortia to buy emergency obstetric equipment and hire or retain staff. Funds could pay for training, clinical rotations, fellowships, and team-based simulation. Recipients would have to coordinate with other federal maternal and child health programs where practicable. The bill would authorize $15 million for these grants for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
Obstetric emergency training for rural clinicians
If enacted, the bill would fund an evidence-based training program for clinicians working in rural facilities without dedicated obstetric units. Training would cover identification, stabilization, safe transfer, and emergency topics like hemorrhage, severe hypertension, sepsis, substance use, perinatal mental health, and cardiac conditions. Grantees must assess local needs, consult national medical societies, and help form regional training partnerships. The bill would authorize $5 million for grants for fiscal years 2026 through 2028.
Rapid maternal teleconsultation networks
If enacted, the bill would fund state, local, and tribal teleconsultation programs so rural providers can get fast specialist help for urgent maternal care. Grants would build statewide or regional maternal telehealth networks, ensure physician credentialing, and require awardees to report to HHS within 18 months of the first grant. The bill would authorize $5 million for these grants for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Maggie Hassan
NH • D
Cosponsors
Susan Collins
ME • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Tina Smith
MN • D
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 2/13/2025
Maria Cantwell
WA • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Christopher Coons
DE • D
Sponsored 4/3/2025
James Justice
WV • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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