Maternity Care for Rural Communities Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10728 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10728 To provide that certain limits on State-directed payments under the Medicaid program not apply to certain maternity, labor, and delivery services. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 5, 2026 Ms. Davids of Kansas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide that certain limits on State-directed payments under the Medicaid program not apply to certain maternity, labor, and delivery services. 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 ``Maternity Care for Rural Communities Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN LIMITS ON STATE-DIRECTED PAYMENTS UNDER THE MEDICAID PROGRAM NOT APPLY TO CERTAIN MATERNITY, LABOR, AND DELIVERY SERVICES. Section 71116(b) of an Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14 (Public Law 119-21) is amended-- (1) in the header, by striking ``Grandfathering'' and inserting ``Treatment of''; (2) by striking ``In the case of'' and inserting the following: ``(1) Grandfathering.--In the case of''; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(2) Exemption for payments for certain maternity, labor, and delivery services.--In the case of a payment described in section 438.6(c)(2)(iii) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), made for maternity, labor, or delivery services furnished during a rating period beginning on or after July 4, 2025, by a specified entity, no limit on such payment shall apply. ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) Qualifying births.--The term `qualifying bir