# 119-hr-8716: Blood Pressure MATTERS Act

119-hr-8716, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8716
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8716
- Congress: 119
- Title: Blood Pressure MATTERS Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-05-07
- Sponsor: Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**Would require nationwide coverage of self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SBPM) for pregnant and postpartum individuals.** The bill would create a uniform, cross-program requirement that Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, group health plans, ERISA plans, and the Internal Revenue Code cover validated home blood pressure devices used during pregnancy and for 12 months after the last day of pregnancy. It would set device rules that require FDA 510(k) clearance and listing on the American Medical Association validated device list and apply 120 days after enactment, with limited state transition relief. - Pregnant and postpartum individuals and families: Would gain access to a validated home blood pressure device during pregnancy and for 12 months postpartum. Coverage would not require a hypertensive disorder diagnosis and would generally limit one device per two years. - Medicaid and CHIP enrollees and states: Would have SBPM added to the Medicaid benefit baseline and included in CHIP pregnancy-related assistance. Medicaid would prohibit cost sharing for these devices and states get short legislative transition relief. - Employers, insurers, and ERISA plans: Would have to cover the same specified devices under a new public health standard. The rule applies to plan years and items furnished on or after 120 days after enactment.

## Cosponsors (6)

- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (D-OH), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7] (D-MD), 2026-07-27T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Medicaid covers home blood pressure devices: benefit, medium. This bill would add self-measured home blood pressure devices to mandatory Medicaid benefits for people who are pregnant and for 12 months after pregnancy. You would not have to pay cost sharing for the device. Coverage would start for items furnished 120 days after enactment. If a State needs new…
- Private plans must cover blood pressure devices: benefit, medium. This bill would require group and individual private health plans, including employer plans, to cover a specified home blood pressure device for people who are pregnant and for 12 months after pregnancy. Plans would not be able to charge cost sharing or require a diagnosis of a hypertensive disorde…
- CHIP pregnancy help includes BP device: benefit, low. This bill would require that States offering CHIP pregnancy-related assistance cover a validated home blood pressure device for targeted low-income pregnant women. Coverage would follow the same device standards used for Medicaid. The change would apply to items furnished 120 days after enactment,…
- Which home blood pressure devices qualify: benefit, low. This bill would define a covered home blood pressure device as one you can use yourself, that has FDA 510(k) clearance, and that appears on the American Medical Association's validated device listing. Coverage could be limited to one such device per 2-year period. This definition would apply across…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act
- 119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-hr-5361: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-8716 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8716)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7853)
- [119-hr-5361: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5361)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8716 (as of 2026-09-21).