H.R. 8716

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8716 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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.
<all>