A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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 Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance regarding Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pelvic health services during the prenatal and postpartum periods. This guidance includes best practices for payment models, financing options, and technical assistance for state agencies. Additionally, the bill requires the GAO to study coverage gaps for postpartum women. The Act also establishes a postpartum pelvic health education campaign led by the CDC. This program aims to educate health professionals and postpartum women about pelvic floor examinations and physical therapy.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Would women be better off under this?
The bill focuses on improving access to essential pelvic health services and education for postpartum women.
- Scored +6
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill aims to increase access to pelvic floor examinations and physical therapy through new guidance and a national education campaign.
- Scored +5
Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes?
The bill directs guidance on financing options and innovative payment models to increase access to pelvic health services under Medicaid and CHIP.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased access to pelvic health services: The bill directs the Secretary to provide guidance on innovative payment models and financing options to increase access to covered pelvic health services (Section 2(a)(1)-(2)).
-
Improved identification of health issues: The guidance will include suggested terminology and diagnosis codes to help identify women suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction and disorders (Section 2(a)(4)).
-
Support for state agencies: The bill provides for guidance and technical assistance to help state agencies with screenings, referrals, and access to services (Section 2(a)(3)).
-
Better informed health professionals: The education campaign is designed to train health professionals on pelvic floor examinations and the benefits of pelvic health physical therapy (Section 3(a)(1)).
-
Increased awareness for women: The program will educate postpartum women on the importance of pelvic floor examinations, how to obtain them, and the benefits of pelvic health physical therapy (Section 3(a)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
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 health care easier to get in general? — The bill aims to increase access to pelvic floor examinations and physical therapy through new guidance and a national education campaign. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill directs guidance on financing options and innovative payment models to increase access to pelvic health services under Medicaid and CHIP. Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill authorizes $2 million annually for a postpartum pelvic health education campaign led by the CDC.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill focuses on improving access to essential pelvic health services and education for postpartum women. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets improvements to Medicaid and CHIP coverage, which primarily benefit low-income households. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides health benefits that may be relevant to women in their childbearing years.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By strengthening Medicaid coverage for pelvic health, the bill helps mitigate the cost of specialized medical care for low-income women.
- 6/1/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/11/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor 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.
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware
Dan SullivanRepublican · Alaska