CARE for Moms Act
Expands maternal health coverage and care programs while changing federal taxes on tobacco products.
In the Senate Finance Committee since Sept. 24, 2026, 14 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 24, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Pregnancy-related care can be hard to access during pregnancy and after birth, and the bill addresses several parts of that problem. It would expand Medicaid and CHIP coverage, support doulas and rural mobile care, fund maternal-health training and improvement programs, and require notice before a hospital closes an obstetric unit. It would also change federal tobacco taxes.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Require broader Medicaid and CHIP coverage
States would have to provide pregnant and postpartum enrollees with 12 months of continuous full benefits and specified dental care during pregnancy and for one year afterward. The bill would also increase federal payments for certain postpartum care and rural hospital obstetric and gynecological services, limit state eligibility restrictions for five years, and let states cover breastfeeding women through two years postpartum under WIC.
- Raise and align tobacco taxes
The bill would double the specified federal excise taxes on small and large cigarettes and raise taxes on several other tobacco products, including cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. It would set taxes for certain other tobacco products based on cigarette taxes and adjust dollar amounts for inflation after 2026.
- Expand doula training and the workforce
The HHS Secretary would award grants or contracts to eligible schools, governments, tribes, community groups, and nonprofits to train and recruit full-spectrum doulas. Funds could support training, scholarships, and recruitment of students from underserved communities.
- Fund maternal health collaboratives and training centers
The bill would support state and territorial perinatal quality collaboratives that work with care teams to improve maternal and infant health. It would also support regional centers that train health professionals in implicit bias, culturally competent care, and respectful patient-provider interactions.
- Support rural mobile obstetric care
A five-year pilot would give states grants to buy and equip mobile health units for preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and obstetric emergency services in rural and underserved communities. States would have to protect patients’ personally identifying information from law-enforcement disclosure and report on the grants’ results.
- Require notice of obstetric unit closures
Hospitals would have to notify HHS at least 90 days before closing an obstetric unit and provide an analysis of the community impact and steps to address service gaps. HHS would also report to Congress on where maternal health needs are greatest and how federal maternal health funds were distributed.
The bill cites high maternal mortality and severe complications, and says many maternal deaths are preventable. It also points to gaps in consistent state data, uneven emergency obstetric protocols, and the loss of Medicaid coverage after 60 days postpartum in states without an extension as problems that can make prevention and timely care harder.
The bill seeks to address those concerns through changes to coverage, care access, training, and data collection. Its tobacco-tax changes are another major part of the measure, changing federal taxes across a range of tobacco products.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 24, 2026SENATESEP 24, 2026By Sen. DurbinReferred to Finance
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 24, 2026FINANCE NOWSEP 24, 2026In committee for 14 daysNo hearing yet
- 14 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 14, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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