WELLS Act

(1) in subsection (a)(1)—

(A) in subparagraph (X), by striking and at the end;

(B) in subparagraph (Y), by striking the period at the end and inserting, and; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(Z) beginning January 1, 2027, in the case of a hospital, critical access hospital, or rural emergency hospital, to comply with the requirements described in subsection (l)(1).

(C) ; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

For purposes of subsection (a)(1)(Z), the requirements described in this paragraph are, with respect to a hospital, critical access hospital, or rural emergency hospital, that the hospital—

(A) provides for the development and implementation of a discharge plan meeting the standards under paragraph (2) with respect to any individual (whether or not eligible for benefits under this title) admitted to the hospital who—

(i) is identified as pregnant;

(ii) is experiencing signs or symptoms consistent with labor, which may include contractions; and

(iii) is expected to be discharged from the hospital, critical access hospital, or rural emergency hospital prior to delivery, as determined based on the documented clinical judgment of the treating physician or practitioner at the time that such discharge is contemplated;

(B) includes such discharge plan in the individual’s medical record; and

(C) provides for such discharge plan to be discussed with the individual (or the individual’s representative) prior to discharge.

A discharge plan for an individual described in paragraph (1)(A) meets the standards under this paragraph if such plan includes at least the following information:

(A) A clinical justification for the discharge.

(B) An assessment of travel distance and time between the primary residence of the individual and the hospital, critical access hospital, or rural emergency hospital.

(C) Verification of reliable transportation between the primary residence of the individual and the hospital, critical access hospital, or rural emergency hospital.

(D) Identification of a back-up hospital or facility at which such individual may obtain labor and delivery services.

(E) Confirmation that the plan was reviewed and approved by a qualified medical professional (as defined by the Secretary through regulations).

(F) Confirmation that the individual (or the individual’s representative) has received the information described in subparagraphs (A) through (D), that such information was provided in the primary language of such individual (or representative), and that such individual (or representative) confirmed their understanding of such information.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as limiting or otherwise affecting the discharge planning requirements otherwise applicable to a hospital, critical access hospital, or rural emergency hospital under this title.

The first section 764 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294s; relating to rural maternal and obstetric care training demonstration) is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)(1)—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking and at the end;

(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and

(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

(B) shall use the grant funds to provide racial bias training as part of such training program; and

(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and (f), respectively;

(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

Beginning with the grants awarded under this section for fiscal year 2027, the Secretary shall establish minimum performance milestones that grant recipients must meet during a fiscal year as a condition of remaining eligible for funding through such a grant for any subsequent fiscal year.

The minimum performance milestones referred to in paragraph (1) shall include milestones related to the percent of all staff of the grant recipient that are trained, or that receive refresher training, with support from a grant under this section.

(3) ; and

(4) in subsection (e), as so redesignated—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking report and inserting reports;

(B) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking the report described in paragraph (2) and inserting the reports described in paragraphs (2) and (3); and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

Not later than January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a report that includes—

(A) updates to the information described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (2); and

(B) additional information regarding the grants under this section, including—

(i) a list of the entities receiving such grants;

(ii) the number and amount of such grants;

(iii) whether training supported by such grants was delivered in-person, virtually, asynchronously, or through some other format; and

(iv) descriptions of the geographical coverage of such grants, the number of providers trained under such grants, and patient-level metrics linked to such training (such as changes in clinical outcomes, patient experience, and racial disparities).

The second section 764 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294t; relating to programs to promote mental health among the health professional workforce) is redesignated as section 764A.