Bill would require health insurers to cover full spectrum of childbirth costs

WASHINGTON, DC — BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION from U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) would require health insurance companies to fully cover childbirth and related costs. Gillibrand held a virtual press conference on Wednesday, May 21 to discuss her bill, the Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act, that would require insurance companies to cover the complete costs associated with childbirth, including labor and delivery, prenatal, neonatal, perinatal and postpartum care.

Even with insurance, childbirth can cost families thousands of dollars, with even greater expenses for women who have additional health complications during pregnancy, a high-deductible health plan, or gaps in their coverage. Consequently, new mothers are twice as likely as other young women to incur medical debt. The Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act would eliminate cost-sharing for a variety of services, including ultrasounds; delivery services, including anesthesiology, fetal monitoring, consultations with specialists; comprehensive postpartum care for physical and mental health conditions caused or exacerbated by pregnancy, such as diabetes, hypertension; mental health care and treatment for substance; and care for miscarriages.

The bill is expected to cause only a minor increase of $30 annually per enrollee in average premiums. Any rise in premiums due to covering out-of-pocket pregnancy costs will be likely less than annual inflation in premiums.

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