[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5203 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5203
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance
on best practices for screening and treatment of congenital syphilis
under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 25, 2024
Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Braun)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance
on best practices for screening and treatment of congenital syphilis
under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Maternal and Infant Syphilis
Prevention Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In 2022, there were 207,255 total syphilis cases in the
United States, representing an 80 percent increase since 2018
and continuing a decades-long upward trend.
(2) Untreated, syphilis can seriously damage the heart and
brain and can cause blindness, deafness, and paralysis.
(3) The increased rise in syphilis cases is causing the
rise in congenital syphilis with more than 3,700 cases
documented among newborns in 2022, more than 10 times the
number diagnosed in 2012.
(4) When transmitted during pregnancy, congenital syphilis
can cause miscarriage, lifelong medical issues, and infant
death. Congenital syphilis can present health issues for babies
at birth, including neonatal death, meningitis, anemia, and
problems with the spleen and liver. If not treated, congenital
syphilis can cause bone and joint problems, vision and hearing
problems, issues with the nervous system, and developmental
delays.
(5) High incidence rates of congenital syphilis are often
due to lack of timely testing or inadequate treatment during
pregnancy. Timely syphilis testing and treatment during
pregnancy might be able to prevent almost 90 percent of
congenital syphilis cases.
(6) Requirements for syphilis screening among pregnant
women varies by State. The majority of States require syphilis
screening in the first visit, significantly less States require
syphilis screenings during the third trimester or at delivery.
(7) Screening during the third trimester and at delivery
can lead to earlier detection of congenital syphilis and
prevent adverse health outcomes for mothers and newborn
infants.
(8) Increased awareness and education are critical in
reducing syphilis among pregnant women to prevent congenital
syphilis.
SEC. 3. GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER STATE MEDICAID PROGRAMS
AND STATE CHIPS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue guidance to State
agencies responsible for administering State Medicaid programs, State
CHIPs, or both such programs, the Indian Health Service, Indian Tribes,
tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations, on best practices
with respect to actions that State Medicaid programs, State CHIPs,
Indian health programs, and urban Indian health programs operated by an
urban Indian organization pursuant to a grant or contract with the
Indian Health Service pursuant to title V of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) may take, including by using
waivers under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315)
and authorities under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.)
and title XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), for the following
purposes:
(1) Improving access to expand syphilis screening for
pregnant women and babies.
(2) Best practices for educating medical professionals and
pregnant women with respect to syphilis.
(3) Strategies for integrating telehealth services and
training for providers and patients on the use of telehealth,
including working with interpreters to furnish health services
and providing resources with respect to congenital syphilis in
multiple languages.
(4) Best practices for increasing testing for syphilis in
the third trimester and at delivery.
(5) Improving treatment for syphilis and congenital
syphilis.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Indian tribe, tribal organization, urban indian, urban
indian organization, indian health program.--The terms ``Indian
tribe'', ``tribal organization'', ``Urban Indian'', ``Urban
Indian organization'', and ``Indian health program'' have the
meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian Health
Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such
term in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1301(a)(1)) for purposes of titles XIX and XXI of such
Act.
(4) State chip.--The term ``State CHIP'' means a State
child health plan for child health assistance under title XXI
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), and
includes any waiver of such a plan.
(5) State medicaid program.--The term ``State Medicaid
program'' means a State plan for medical assistance under title
XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and
includes any waiver of such a plan.
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate, and
shall make publicly available, a report analyzing the implementation of
the best practices described in subsection (a).
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