S. 5515

In plain English

Community Access, Resources, and Empowerment for Moms Act or the CARE for Moms Act This bill establishes and expands federal programs to increase access to health care for pregnant and postpartum women, particularly those in underserved communities. It also increases and expands excise taxes on tobacco products. The bill requires state Medicaid programs and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover women for 12 months postpartum and to cover dental services for pregnant and postpartum women The bill also allows for two years of postpartum coverage for women under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Also, the bill establishes grant programs for state-based collaboratives to improve perinatal health care, mobile health units for obstetric care in rural and underserved communities,  the doula workforce, and  regional centers of excellence to educate health professionals on implicit bias and culturally competent care. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must publish information on Medicaid and CHIP benefits for pregnant and postpartum women and report to Congress on maternal health needs and expen

Congressional Research Service summary from Congress.gov (not yet simplified).

Sponsor and status

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How South Carolina voted

No recorded roll-call vote on this bill yet. Most bills never get one.

Who lobbied

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No lobbying reported on this bill in the reports we have loaded (January 2025 through September 2026). Lobbyists report each quarter, about 20 days after it ends, so any lobbying since October 2026 will be added once those reports are filed.