[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8716 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8716
To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act, title XXVII of
the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Security Act of
1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require coverage of
self-measured blood pressure monitoring for pregnant and postpartum
individuals.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 7, 2026
Ms. Williams of Georgia (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Wilson of
Florida, Mrs. Beatty, and Ms. Ross) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and
Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act, title XXVII of
the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Security Act of
1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require coverage of
self-measured blood pressure monitoring for pregnant and postpartum
individuals.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Blood Pressure Mandated Accessible
Telemetry Tracking for Eclampsia Risk Safeguards Act'' or the ``Blood
Pressure MATTERS Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING COVERAGE OF SELF-MEASURED BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM INDIVIDUALS.
(a) Coverage Under Medicaid.--
(1) In general.--Section 1905 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396d) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (31), by striking ``and''
at the end;
(ii) by redesignating paragraph (32) as
paragraph (33); and
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (31) the
following new paragraph:
``(32) self-measured blood pressure monitoring for pregnant
and postpartum individuals (as defined in subsection (ll)(1));
and''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(ll) Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring for Pregnant and
Postpartum Individuals.--
``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (a)(32), the
term `self-measured blood pressure monitoring for pregnant and
postpartum individuals'--
``(A) means a specified blood pressure measurement
device furnished to an individual during pregnancy (and
during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of
the pregnancy, or, in the case of an individual who is
eligible for medical assistance under the State plan
under paragraph (5) or (16) of section 1902(e), during
the period for which such individual remains so
eligible), without regard to whether such individual is
diagnosed with a hypertensive disorder; and
``(B) does not include more than 1 such device
furnished to an individual during a 2-year period.
``(2) Specified blood pressure management device defined.--
In this subsection, the term `specified blood pressure
management device' means a device that--
``(A) can be used by an individual to measure their
own blood pressure without the assistance of a health
care provider;
``(B) has been cleared for market under section
510(k) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; and
``(C) is listed as a validated device on the
Validated Device Listing website maintained by the
American Medical Association.''.
(2) Mandatory coverage.--
(A) In general.--Section 1902(a)(10)(A) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)) is
amended by striking ``and (30)'' and inserting ``(30),
and (32)''.
(B) Alternative benefit plans.--Section 1937(b) of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u-7(b)) is
amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(9) Self-measured blood pressure monitoring for pregnant
and postpartum individuals.--Notwithstanding the previous
provisions of this section, a State may not provide for medical
assistance through enrollment of an individual with benchmark
coverage or benchmark-equivalent coverage under this section
unless, beginning on the date that is 120 days after the date
of enactment of this paragraph, such coverage includes, for any
pregnant or postpartum individual, medical assistance for self-
measured blood pressure monitoring in accordance with section
1905(ll).''.
(3) Prohibition of cost sharing.--
(A) In general.--Subsections (a)(2) and (b)(2) of
section 1916 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396o) are each amended--
(i) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``or''
at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (J), by striking ``;
and'' and inserting ``, or''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
subparagraph:
``(K) self-measured blood pressure monitoring for
pregnant and postpartum individuals (as defined in
section 1905(ll)(1)); and''.
(B) Application to alternative cost sharing.--
Section 1916A(b)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396o-1(b)(3)(B)) is amended by adding at the
end the following new clause:
``(xv) Self-measured blood pressure
monitoring for pregnant and postpartum
individuals (as defined in section
1905(ll)(1)).''.
(4) Effective date.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
amendments made by this subsection shall apply with
respect to items and services furnished on or after the
date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of
this section.
(B) Exception if state legislation required.--In
the case of a State plan for medical assistance under
title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et
seq.) which the Secretary of Health and Human Services
determines requires State legislation (other than
legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan
to meet the additional requirement imposed by the
amendments made by this subsection, the State plan
shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the
requirements of such title solely on the basis of its
failure to meet this additional requirement before the
first day of the first calendar quarter beginning after
the close of the first regular session of the State
legislature that begins after the date of the enactment
of this subsection. For purposes of the previous
sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year
legislative session, each year of such session shall be
deemed to be a separate regular session of the State
legislature.
(b) Coverage Under CHIP.--
(1) In general.--Section 2103(c) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1397cc(c)) is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
``(13) Required coverage of self-measured blood pressure
monitoring for pregnant and postpartum individuals.--Regardless
of the type of coverage elected by a State under subsection
(a), in the case of a State that elects to provide pregnancy-
related assistance pursuant to section 2112, the pregnancy-
related assistance provided for a targeted low-income pregnant
woman (as such terms are defined for purposes of such section),
shall include coverage of self-measured blood pressure
monitoring in accordance with section 1905(ll).''.
(2) Effective date.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
amendments made by this subsection shall apply with
respect to items and services furnished on or after the
date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of
this section.
(B) Exception if state legislation required.--In
the case of a State child health plan for child health
assistance under title XXI of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) which the Secretary of
Health and Human Services determines requires State
legislation (other than legislation appropriating
funds) in order for the plan to meet the additional
requirement imposed by the amendments made by this
subsection, the State plan shall not be regarded as
failing to comply with the requirements of such title
solely on the basis of its failure to meet this
additional requirement before the first day of the
first calendar quarter beginning after the close of the
first regular session of the State legislature that
begins after the date of the enactment of this
subsection. For purposes of the previous sentence, in
the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative
session, each year of such session shall be deemed to
be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
(c) Coverage Under Private Health Insurance.--
(1) Amendments to the public health service act.--Part D of
title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-
111 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 2799A-12. COVERAGE OF SELF-MEASURED BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM INDIVIDUALS.
``(a) In General.--Subject to the limitation under subsection (b),
a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group or
individual health insurance coverage--
``(1) shall provide coverage of, and may not impose any
cost sharing requirements for, specified blood pressure
management devices furnished to an individual during pregnancy
(and during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of
the pregnancy); and
``(2) may not require that such individual be diagnosed
with a hypertensive disorder as a condition of such coverage.
``(b) Limitation.--A group health plan or health insurance issuer
offering group or individual health insurance coverage is not required
under this section to provide coverage of more than 1 specified blood
pressure management device furnished to an individual during a 2-year
period.
``(c) Specified Blood Pressure Management Device Defined.--In this
section, the term `specified blood pressure management device' has the
meaning given such term in section 1905(ll)(2) of the Social Security
Act.''.
(2) Amendments to the employee retirement income security
act of 1974.--
(A) In general.--Subpart B of part 7 of subtitle B
of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 727. COVERAGE OF SELF-MEASURED BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING FOR
PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM INDIVIDUALS.
``(a) In General.--Subject to the limitation under subsection (b),
a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group
health insurance coverage--
``(1) shall provide coverage of, and may not impose any
cost sharing requirements for, specified blood pressure
management devices furnished to an individual during pregnancy
(and during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of
the pregnancy); and
``(2) may not require that such individual be diagnosed
with a hypertensive disorder as a condition of such coverage.
``(b) Limitation.--A group health plan or health insurance issuer
offering group health insurance coverage is not required under this
section to provide coverage of more than 1 specified blood pressure
management device furnished to an individual during a 2-year period.
``(c) Specified Blood Pressure Management Device Defined.--In this
section, the term `specified blood pressure management device' has the
meaning given such term in section 1905(ll)(2) of the Social Security
Act.''.
(B) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in
section 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 726 the
following:
``Sec. 727. Coverage of self-measured blood pressure monitoring for
pregnant and postpartum individuals.''.
(3) Amendments to the internal revenue code of 1986.--
(A) In general.--Subchapter B of chapter 100 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
``SEC. 9827. COVERAGE OF SELF-MEASURED BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING FOR
PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM INDIVIDUALS.
``(a) In General.--Subject to the limitation under subsection (b),
a group health plan--
``(1) shall provide coverage of, and may not impose any
cost sharing requirements for, specified blood pressure
management devices furnished to an individual during pregnancy
(and during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of
the pregnancy); and
``(2) may not require that such individual be diagnosed
with a hypertensive disorder as a condition of such coverage.
``(b) Limitation.--A group health plan is not required under this
section to provide coverage of more than 1 specified blood pressure
management device furnished to an individual during a 2-year period.
``(c) Specified Blood Pressure Management Device Defined.--In this
section, the term `specified blood pressure management device' has the
meaning given such term in section 1905(ll)(2) of the Social Security
Act.''.
(B) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for
subchapter B of chapter 100 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the
following new item:
``Sec. 9827. Coverage of self-measured blood pressure monitoring for
pregnant and postpartum individuals.''.
(4) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall apply with respect to plan years beginning on or after
the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of this
section.
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