The Biden administration unveiled a proposal Wednesday requiring hospitals to meet new maternal health and safety standards to remain eligible for Medicare, aimed at addressing the U.S. maternal mortality crisis that disproportionately affects Black women, Native women, and women in rural communities.
Under the proposed rules, hospitals would need to maintain basic resuscitation equipment in labor and delivery rooms, document maternal health training for staff, and have written policies for patient transfers. Even hospitals without obstetrics units would be required to have protocols and supplies for emergency deliveries if they offer emergency services.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that implementing these standards would cost the industry about $4.46 billion over 10 years, averaging $70,671 per year for each hospital.
Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the administration’s commitment to addressing the maternal health crisis, highlighting its impact on minority communities. However, hospital groups and some medical professionals have expressed concerns about the policy’s potential unintended consequences.
The American Hospital Association argues that the new conditions are ill-suited to address the complex factors contributing to poor maternal outcomes, most of which occur outside hospitals. They, along with other industry groups, worry that the requirements could lead to more hospitals reducing or eliminating obstetric services.
Patient advocates, on the other hand, view the proposed requirements as a step in the right direction, dismissing hospitals’ concerns as overblown. The policy is part of a broader set of changes proposed for hospital outpatient services, including a 2.6% increase in Medicare payments for 2025.
See “Biden plan requires hospitals to improve maternal care” (July 11, 2024)
