This bill, the Tech to Save Moms Act, would add new federal steps to expand the use of telehealth and other digital tools in pregnancy and the year after pregnancy. It would change Medicaid rules to allow telehealth tools for screening, monitoring, and managing common pregnancy health problems for Medicaid enrollees during pregnancy and for up to one year after. It creates a new grant program (section 330Q) to fund one 5-year project to develop, evaluate, and expand technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models for maternal health in shortage, rural, high-risk, and underserved areas, including for American Indian and Alaska Native populations. It also creates a separate one-grant program to increase access to digital tools (like early warning systems and clinical decision support) to address maternal health disparities. The bill requires technical assistance, data collection, evaluation, and reports to Congress. It directs the National Academies to study the use of technology and monitoring devices (including AI and pulse oximeters) in maternity care and report within 24 months. The bill includes definitions for maternal mortality, postpartum period, and maternity care provider.
If enacted, the Department of Health and Human Services would be authorized to award two separate, single 5-year grants to eligible organizations that serve high-need areas and populations. The grants would fund training for maternity care providers, support remote patient monitoring and telehealth tools, help develop measures and evaluations, and provide technical help and broadband coordination for grantees. The bill also directs a National Academies study on technology and monitoring devices in maternity care. The bill prioritizes areas with high maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity, rural and underserved areas, health professional shortage areas, and American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
The bill authorizes $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the grant program in section 330Q. It also authorizes $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the separate grant program to promote equity through digital tools. No publicly available information on other federal costs or offsets is included in the bill text.
The bill text and title indicate the sponsors aim to expand use of telehealth, remote monitoring, and technology-enabled learning to improve maternal health outcomes, reduce disparities, train providers (including on implicit bias, mental health, and substance use), and study how technology affects racial and ethnic biases in maternity care. It directs HHS to prioritize high-need areas and provide technical assistance and reporting to inform best practices.
No publicly available information.