H.R. 2598: COVID–19 Safe Birthing Act
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H.R. 2598: COVID–19 Safe Birthing Act
117th Congress · introduced 2021-04-15 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2021-04-15 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
COVID–19 Safe Birthing Act
Plain summary
COVID-19 Safe Birthing Act This bill expands coverage of maternal health care under Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and private health insurance. The bill specifically provides for Medicare and Medicaid coverage of maternal health services that are furnished via telehealth. It also requires Medicaid, CHIP, and private health insurance to cover prenatal services and one year of postpartum care without cost-sharing. The bill also requires short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans, association health plans, and health care sharing ministries to cover COVID-19 testing without cost-sharing. It also requires state Medicaid programs to provide coverage of COVID-19 testing for pregnant individuals who are uninsured. Additionally, as a condition of Medicare participation, hospitals must permit pregnant individuals to be accompanied by someone of their choosing (in addition to a doula or other health care worker) during labor, delivery, and recovery, and may not implement any discriminatory policies that restrict hospital access or birthing options for pregnant individuals.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
COVID–19 Safe Birthing Act
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] · 7 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Mark Takano (D-CA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA)
Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] reported raising $1.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (1)
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr2598.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>
Record fed-us-cong117-hr2598 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117