WELLS Act
- Sponsor
- Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
- Committees
- Finance Committee (primary)
- Last action
- May 11, 2026
Bottom line
The WELLS Act aims to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities by enhancing discharge planning for pregnant individuals and strengthening data-driven evaluation of maternal care training and initiatives.
What it actually does
This bill mandates that hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals participating in Medicare develop and implement specific discharge plans for pregnant individuals who are experiencing signs of labor but are discharged prior to delivery. It also strengthens reporting requirements for rural maternal and obstetric care training grants and establishes a new multi-center initiative to evaluate maternal health training models, including an interagency maternal health dashboard.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue this bill will enhance patient safety for pregnant individuals, particularly those in rural areas, by ensuring they receive comprehensive discharge instructions and access to follow-up care or alternative facilities. They contend that improved data collection and evaluation of training programs will lead to more effective interventions and help address maternal health disparities.
Opponents contend
Critics might argue that the new discharge planning requirements impose an unfunded mandate and an administrative burden on hospitals, especially smaller rural facilities, potentially diverting resources from direct patient care. Concerns could also be raised about the feasibility of verifying reliable transportation or identifying secondary facilities in remote areas.
The bill is relatively short and straightforward, allowing a reader to grasp its core provisions within the time typically allotted for legislative review.
Section 2, amending Section 1866 of the Social Security Act
New Medicare Condition of Participation: Pregnant Individual Discharge Plans
This provision requires hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals to create specific discharge plans for pregnant individuals who are showing signs of labor but are sent home before delivery. These plans must include a clinical justification for discharge, an assessment of travel time to the hospital, verification of reliable transportation, and identification of a backup facility for labor and delivery. The plan must be discussed with the patient in their primary language.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this provision is crucial for patient safety, especially given rising maternal mortality rates and disparities. It ensures that vulnerable pregnant individuals, particularly those in rural areas, are not discharged without a clear, actionable plan for continued care and emergency access, reducing preventable complications.
Critics contend
Opponents may argue that these new requirements add significant administrative and financial burdens to hospitals, particularly those already struggling in rural areas. They might contend that existing discharge planning protocols are sufficient or that the specific requirements (like verifying transportation) are difficult to implement consistently and could lead to delays in discharge.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances the goal of enhancing patient safety for pregnant individuals with the potential for increased administrative and financial strain on healthcare providers, particularly smaller or rural facilities.
Section 3, amending Section 764 of the Public Health Service Act
Performance Milestones for Rural Maternal and Obstetric Care Training Grants
This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish minimum performance milestones for recipients of rural maternal and obstetric care training grants, starting in fiscal year 2027. These milestones will be a condition for continued funding and must include targets related to the percentage of staff trained or receiving refresher training.
Section 3, amending Section 764 of the Public Health Service Act
Annual Public Reporting on Rural Maternal and Obstetric Care Training Grants
This provision requires the Secretary of HHS to submit annual public reports to Congress, starting January 1, 2027, detailing the rural maternal and obstetric care training grants. These reports must include updates on previous information and new data such as a list of grant recipients, grant amounts, training formats, geographical coverage, number of providers trained, and crucial patient-level metrics like changes in clinical outcomes, patient experience, and racial disparities.
Section 4
National Initiative to Evaluate Maternal Health Training Models
This section establishes a new initiative led by the Secretary of HHS, in consultation with the Directors of AHRQ and NIH. Its purpose is to rigorously evaluate various training models for healthcare professionals (e.g., in-person, virtual, simulation) to understand their effectiveness in changing provider behavior, improving patient outcomes, and addressing maternal health disparities.
Section 4
Public Interagency Maternal Health Dashboard
As part of the new implementation science initiative, this provision requires the Secretary of HHS to develop, maintain, and make publicly available an online dashboard. This dashboard will consolidate maternal health outcome metrics from various agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, providing a centralized resource for data.
Clarifies that the new discharge plan requirements do not supersede or limit other existing discharge planning requirements under Medicare or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).
Section 2, page 3, lines 1-5
Why it matters:Standard legislative practice to prevent unintended interpretations and ensure new provisions integrate smoothly with existing law without creating loopholes or conflicts.
Case for: Ensures that the new specific requirements for pregnant individuals augment, rather than replace, broader patient safety and emergency care mandates, maintaining a comprehensive safety net.
Case against: No specific case against, as it clarifies intent and avoids undermining existing protections.
Estimated impact: Prevents potential legal challenges or misinterpretations that could weaken patient protections or create confusion for hospitals regarding their obligations.