“The Quality Care for Moms and Babies Act can advance much-needed improvements in maternal and infant care, so many more mothers will thrive and more babies will have the healthy start they deserve. We applaud Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) for reintroducing it in the House of Representatives today.

The quality improvement strategies supported by this legislation would facilitate real change in the delivery of maternity care, helping to reduce unnecessary interventions, reliably provide beneficial and safe care, improve the health of mothers and babies, and bend the maternity care cost curve. Its passage would mean more women and babies receive safe, effective, evidence-based health care.

With infant and maternal mortality rates in the United States exceeding those in many other nations, and Medicaid covering the cost of nearly half the births in our country, it is past time that Congress take action to improve the quality of care for both mothers and babies. This bill would do that, while maximizing the value of our health care dollars.

We thank the lawmakers who are pressing hard for passage of this essential legislation and urge both the House and Senate to make its passage a high priority.”

A fact sheet on the Quality Care for Moms and Babies Act is available here.