H.R. 4216: Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014
Reports of maternal-related deaths to the state department of health by health care providers should be mandatory.
The US has a higher maternal mortality than 49 other countries. 1 in every 7,700 women dies from pregnancy and childbirth related causes every year and 2-3 women die every year. Almost 70,00 women suffer a complication so severe they almost die (known as near misses) and 1.7 million women- more than a third of all women giving birth in the US -suffer a complication that has an injurious effect on their health.
These figures might actually be a lot higher, as there is no federal requirement to report these deaths.
Because the US does not enforce a national guideline for maternal health care and emergencies, there is considerable variation of care from hospital to hospital.
Amnesty International reports that, "approximately half of these deaths could have been prevented if maternal health care were available, accessible, and of good quality for all women in the USA."
The Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014 will "establish governmental accountability and a shared responsibility between states and the Federal Government to identity opportunities for improvement in quality of care and system changes, and to educate and inform health institutions and professionals, women, and families about preventing pregnancy related deaths and complications and reducing disparities."
Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to states for:
(1) mandatory reporting to the state department of health by health care providers and other entities of pregnancy-related deaths;
(2) establishment of a state maternal mortality review committee on pregnancy-related deaths occurring within such state;
(3) implementation and use of the comprehensive case abstraction form by such committee to preserve the uniformity of the information collected;
(4) annual public disclosure of committee findings; and
(5) collect, analyze, and report to the Secretary cases of maternal morbidity.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to: (1) organize a national workshop to identify definitions for severe maternal morbidity and make recommendations for a research plan to identify and monitor such morbidity in the United States; and (2) develop uniform definitions of severe maternal morbidity, a research plan, and possible data collection protocols to assist states in identifying and monitoring such cases.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary to carry out specified research and demonstration activities to eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes.
("Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 4216)." GovTrack.us. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2014. .)
These figures might actually be a lot higher, as there is no federal requirement to report these deaths.
Because the US does not enforce a national guideline for maternal health care and emergencies, there is considerable variation of care from hospital to hospital.
Amnesty International reports that, "approximately half of these deaths could have been prevented if maternal health care were available, accessible, and of good quality for all women in the USA."
The Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014 will "establish governmental accountability and a shared responsibility between states and the Federal Government to identity opportunities for improvement in quality of care and system changes, and to educate and inform health institutions and professionals, women, and families about preventing pregnancy related deaths and complications and reducing disparities."
Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to states for:
(1) mandatory reporting to the state department of health by health care providers and other entities of pregnancy-related deaths;
(2) establishment of a state maternal mortality review committee on pregnancy-related deaths occurring within such state;
(3) implementation and use of the comprehensive case abstraction form by such committee to preserve the uniformity of the information collected;
(4) annual public disclosure of committee findings; and
(5) collect, analyze, and report to the Secretary cases of maternal morbidity.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to: (1) organize a national workshop to identify definitions for severe maternal morbidity and make recommendations for a research plan to identify and monitor such morbidity in the United States; and (2) develop uniform definitions of severe maternal morbidity, a research plan, and possible data collection protocols to assist states in identifying and monitoring such cases.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary to carry out specified research and demonstration activities to eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes.
("Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 4216)." GovTrack.us. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2014. .)
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