H.R. 8716

119 HR 8716 IH: Blood Pressure Mandated Accessible Telemetry Tracking for Eclampsia Risk Safeguards Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-05-07
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8716  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.
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  .
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:
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:
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:
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.