WELLS Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
- Committees
- Ways and Means Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Mar 5, 2026
Bottom line
This bill aims to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities by mandating comprehensive discharge planning for pregnant individuals, enhancing rural maternal care training with a focus on racial bias, and establishing new research and data collection initiatives.
What it actually does
This bill mandates that hospitals participating in Medicare develop comprehensive discharge plans for pregnant individuals experiencing labor symptoms but expected to be discharged before delivery. These plans must include clinical justification, travel assessment, transportation verification, and identification of a backup facility. Additionally, it requires racial bias training for recipients of rural maternal care grants, establishes performance milestones for these grants, and directs the creation of a multi-center maternal health research initiative and a public maternal health dashboard.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue this bill addresses critical gaps in maternal healthcare, particularly for pregnant individuals discharged before delivery, by ensuring they receive comprehensive information and support. They contend that mandating racial bias training in rural maternal care programs will help address systemic inequities, while new research and data initiatives will provide crucial insights to improve care and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity.
Opponents contend
Opponents might argue that the new discharge planning requirements impose an unfunded mandate on hospitals, increasing administrative burdens and costs without providing additional resources. They may also raise concerns about the feasibility of verifying reliable transportation or the potential for these requirements to delay necessary discharges, especially in rural areas with limited resources.
The bill is relatively short and straightforward, allowing for a quick and informed review by interested parties.
Section 2, amending Section 1866 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc)
Mandatory Discharge Plans for Pregnant Individuals
This provision requires hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals participating in Medicare to develop and implement specific discharge plans for pregnant individuals who are experiencing signs of labor but are expected to be discharged before delivery. These plans must include clinical justification, travel assessment, transportation verification, and identification of a backup facility, and must be discussed with the patient.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this provision is crucial for patient safety, ensuring that pregnant individuals, particularly those in vulnerable situations or rural areas, have clear guidance and resources when discharged before delivery, thereby reducing risks of adverse maternal outcomes.
Critics contend
Opponents may argue that these requirements add significant administrative and financial burdens to hospitals, especially smaller or rural facilities, without providing commensurate funding, potentially straining resources and impacting other aspects of patient care.
Tradeoffs
Balances patient safety and informed discharge against increased administrative and financial burdens for healthcare providers.
Section 3(a)(1), amending Section 764(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act
Mandating Racial Bias Training in Rural Maternal Care Grants
This provision amends the existing rural maternal and obstetric care training demonstration grants to explicitly require that grant funds be used to provide racial bias training as part of the training program. This aims to address racial disparities in maternal health outcomes by ensuring healthcare professionals are equipped to provide culturally competent and equitable care, ultimately improving patient experiences and health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Section 3(a)(3), inserting new subsection (d) into Section 764 of the Public Health Service Act
Grant Performance Milestones
This provision requires the Secretary to establish minimum performance milestones for recipients of rural maternal and obstetric care training grants, starting in fiscal year 2027. These milestones will include targets related to the percentage of staff trained or receiving refresher training, and meeting them will be a condition for continued funding, ensuring accountability and measurable progress in improving rural maternal health services.
Section 4
Maternal Health Research Initiative
This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Directors of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health, to establish a multi-center implementation science initiative. The purpose is to rigorously evaluate different training models for healthcare professionals and their impact on provider behavior, patient outcomes, and maternal health disparities, fostering evidence-based improvements in care delivery.
Section 5
Public Maternal Health Dashboard
This section requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop, maintain, and make publicly available an interagency maternal health dashboard on HHS websites. The dashboard will include maternal health outcome metrics from various HHS agencies and data collected from the initiative under Section 4, covering areas like maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and discharges of pregnant individuals prior to delivery, enhancing transparency and data-driven decision-making.
Clarifies that the new discharge planning requirements for pregnant individuals do not limit or affect other existing discharge planning requirements under Medicare.
Section 2, new subsection (l)(3) of the Social Security Act
Why it matters:Standard legislative practice to avoid unintended conflicts or interpretations with existing law. Not evasive.
Case for: Ensures that the new, specific requirements for pregnant individuals are additive to, rather than a replacement for, broader discharge planning standards, maintaining comprehensive patient care.
Case against: No specific case against, as it's a clarifying provision.
Estimated impact: Minimal direct impact, primarily legal clarification.