HRSA Tweaks Map for Where Moms Get Maternity Care Help
Published Date: 5/7/2026
Notice
Summary
HRSA is updating how it decides which areas need more maternity care health professionals. They’re changing the scoring by removing one factor and shifting points to better measure local care availability and travel time. These new rules start August 15, 2026, helping moms-to-be get care where it’s needed most and guiding where money and resources go.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
SVI Removed; Two Points Reallocated
HRSA removed the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) as a criterion and reallocated its two points: one point now goes to the population-to-full-time-equivalent maternity care health professional ratio and one point goes to travel time/distance to the nearest source of accessible care outside the MCTA. This change is effective August 15, 2026.
Population-to-Provider Ratio Thresholds
An area is considered reasonably served if its population-to-provider ratio is 1,500:1 or better for women ages 15–44. The population-to-provider ratio is scored on a scale up to 6 points, with the worst ratios (e.g., >=6,000:1 or no OB-GYNs/CNMs with population >=500) receiving the highest points.
Composite MCTA Scoring: 0–25 Points
HRSA will sum five weighted criteria into a composite MCTA score ranging from 0 to 25, where 25 indicates greatest need for maternity care health professionals. HRSA reports the changes are expected to increase overall MCTA scores by about 6.6 percent.
Maternal Health Index Adds Six Indicators
One component of the MCTA score is a maternal health index made of six indicators: pre-pregnancy obesity (BMI ≥30), pre-pregnancy diabetes, pre-pregnancy hypertension, prenatal care initiation in the first trimester (lack thereof), cigarette smoking before/during pregnancy, and a behavioral health factor tied to Mental Health HPSA designation. Each indicator awards 1 point if the area is at or above the 50th percentile among U.S. counties.
Who Counts as Maternity Providers
For scoring, HRSA defines maternity care health professionals as Obstetricians-Gynecologists (OB-GYNs) and Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), and defines women of childbearing age as females 15–44 years old. These definitions determine which providers and population counts are used in MCTA scoring.
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