S 2433119th CongressIn Committee

Neonatal Care Transparency Act of 2025

Introduced: Jul 24, 2025

Healthcare

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Neonatal Care Transparency Act of 2025 would require hospitals and obstetric care providers to publicly disclose their policies on providing life-saving care to premature infants. Specifically, it would mandate transparency about (a) the minimum gestational age at which life-saving care will be provided, (b) whether care decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and (c) the process for transferring a premature infant and mother to another facility with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) if the hospital cannot provide life-saving care. The bill also requires obstetricians to inform patients at the first prenatal visit about the admitting hospital’s policies and transfer processes. Additionally, the act would condition federal Medicaid and CHIP funding on compliance with these disclosure requirements and would implement the reach of these disclosures through amendments to the Social Security Act. The disclosures are set to begin for hospitals and practitioners starting in 2026, with a general effective date 180 days after enactment.

Key Points

1Hospital disclosure requirements: Each hospital must publicly disclose its policy on life-saving care for premature infants, including the minimum gestational age for such care, whether decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and how transfers to the nearest capable NICU would be arranged if capacity is lacking.
2Practitioner disclosure requirements: Obstetricians and other prenatal-care providers must disclose at the first prenatal visit the hospital’s policy on life-saving care and the transfer process for premature births.
3Federal funding linkage: Federal Medicaid and CHIP funding would be barred for hospitals and obstetric providers that do not satisfy the disclosure requirements, with the proposed enforcement tied to sections of the Social Security Act.
4SSA amendments: The bill would amend the Social Security Act to codify the new disclosure requirements for hospitals and practitioners and to extend accountability to facilities that receive federal funds.
5Effective dates: Disclosures for hospitals and practitioners would begin 2026, with the broader changes taking effect 180 days after enactment.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Premature infants and their families, who would gain greater transparency about hospital policies and transfer options; hospitals and obstetric providers subject to federal funding conditions.Secondary group/area affected: Hospitals with obstetric services, particularly those without high-level NICU capacities, and the networks that coordinate inter-facility transfers; state Medicaid and CHIP programs due to funding implications.Additional impacts: Hospitals may need to update communications, staff training, and transfer protocols to ensure compliance; potential effects on patient choice, emergency decision-making, and the regionalization of neonatal care (e.g., encouraging transfers to higher-capacity centers).

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