A Democratic bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2026 aims to amend several existing laws, including the Public Health Service Act, ERISA, and the Internal Revenue Code. The bill would require group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide coverage for mental health or substance use disorder services to eliminate cost-sharing for these services for pregnant and postpartum individuals. This protection would span from the diagnosis of pregnancy through a one-year period following the end of the pregnancy. These requirements would apply to services provided by in-network providers. The changes are intended to take effect for plan years beginning at least two years after the Act is enacted.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +7
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill eliminates cost-sharing for mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
- Scored +7
Would women be better off under this?
The bill specifically targets protections for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
- Scored +5
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
By removing cost-sharing requirements, the bill makes mental health and substance use services more accessible to pregnant and postpartum people.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill imposes new requirements on group health plans, which may increase administrative or premium costs for employers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Elimination of Cost-Sharing for Mental Health and Substance Use Services: For individuals covered by group health plans or health insurance issuers, the bill would remove cost-saring requirements for mental health services and substance use disorder services (including telehealth) from the time of pregnancy diagnosis until one year after the pregnancy ends. This benefit applies to services furnished by in-network providers. (Section 2)
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Enhanced Continuity of Care: The bill amends existing laws to update how continuity of care is handled for pregnant individuals and those requiring mental health or substance use disorder services following a pregnancy. This includes specific provisions for those who received such treatment while pregnant and the one-year period following the pregnancy. (Section 2)
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Delayed Implementation: The benefits and requirements established by this Act would not take effect until plan years beginning on or after the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment. (Section 2)
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill eliminates cost-sharing for mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — By removing cost-sharing requirements, the bill makes mental health and substance use services more accessible to pregnant and postpartum people. Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill increases access to substance use disorder services for a vulnerable demographic. Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — The bill reduces out-of-pocket costs for specific services, which can lower the net cost of coverage for insured individuals.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets protections for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The removal of cost-sharing provides significant financial relief to lower-income families facing medical costs. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill reduces out-of-pocket expenses for mental health and substance use services for insured families. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill imposes new requirements on group health plans, which may increase administrative or premium costs for employers.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill provides targeted financial protections for individuals undergoing pregnancy and the postpartum period. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The elimination of medical cost-sharing helps protect the financial stability of families during pregnancy and postpartum.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill mandates changes to how private group health plans and insurance issuers operate.
- 1/27/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico