Maternal and Infant Syphilis Prevention Act
The Maternal and Infant Syphilis Prevention Act would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance within 12 months to state Medicaid programs, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and related Indian health services and organizations on best practices for screening and treating congenital syphilis. The guidance would cover expanding access to screening for pregnant women and babies, educating health professionals and pregnant women, using telehealth (including multilingual supports and interpreters), increasing third-trimester and delivery testing, and improving treatment for syphilis and congenital syphilis. The Act also requires a follow-up report to Congress within two years assessing how these best practices were implemented and publicly sharing the analysis. The guidance would utilize waivers and authorities under existing Social Security Act provisions (including 1115 waivers and authorities under titles XIX and XXI) to help states adopt these practices, including for tribal and urban Indian health programs. The bill cites rising syphilis rates and the substantial burden of congenital syphilis, highlighting the potential to prevent many cases with timely testing and treatment during pregnancy. It seeks to standardize and accelerate access to screening and treatment through Medicaid/CHIP programs and related federal tools, while encouraging multilingual and telehealth-enabled approaches to reach diverse populations.
Key Points
- 1The Secretary must issue guidance within 12 months to State Medicaid programs, State CHIPs, the Indian Health Service, tribes, tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations on best practices for congenital syphilis screening and treatment, including use of 1115 waivers and authorities under titles XIX and XXI.
- 2Guidance topics include:
- 3- Expanding access to syphilis screening for pregnant women and babies.
- 4- Best practices for educating healthcare professionals and pregnant women about syphilis.
- 5- Strategies to integrate telehealth and multilingual resources (including interpreters) for delivery of services.
- 6- Increasing testing for syphilis in the third trimester and at delivery.
- 7- Improving treatment for syphilis and congenital syphilis.
- 8Definitions clarify terms for Indian health programs, State, State CHIP, and State Medicaid programs to ensure consistent application.
- 9A report to Congress is due within 2 years of enactment analyzing the implementation of the guidance and making the findings publicly available.