S. 2621: To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize support for State-based maternal mortality review committees, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to disseminate best practices on maternal mortality prevention to hospitals, State-based professional societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives, and for other purposes.

This bill aims to address maternal mortality by amending the Public Health Service Act. It focuses on several key areas:

1. Support for Maternal Mortality Review Committees

The bill reauthorizes support for State-based maternal mortality review committees. These committees are responsible for reviewing and analyzing cases of maternal deaths to identify causes and improve healthcare practices. The amendments specify that these committees should include representatives from various clinical specialties, specifically mentioning obstetricians and gynecologists.

2. Improvement of Death Record Reporting

It introduces changes to ensure better coordination with those who certify deaths. This aims to enhance the quality of death records regarding maternal mortality by allowing for amendments to cause-of-death information when necessary.

3. Dissemination of Best Practices

The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), to disseminate best practices for preventing maternal mortality. This information will be shared with hospitals, state professional societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives. The goal is to share knowledge and strategies identified from other federal maternal health programs.

4. Regular Updates on Best Practices

The Secretary is required to disseminate these best practices at least once a year, ensuring that healthcare providers are consistently updated with the latest information on preventing maternal mortality and improving maternal health outcomes.

5. Funding Increase

The bill increases the funding allocated for these efforts from $58 million (for fiscal years 2019 through 2023) to $100 million (for fiscal years 2026 through 2030). This funding is meant to strengthen the capacity of state review committees and enhance maternal health programs across states.

Summary of Goals

Overall, the bill's objectives are to:

• Strengthen maternal mortality review committees' capabilities.
• Improve death record reporting related to maternal deaths.
• Share effective strategies for preventing maternal mortality.
• Ensure regular updates and dissemination of this information.
• Increase funding to support these initiatives adequately.

Relevant Companies

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