Hospitals would need discharge plans for laboring patients
In committeeH.R. 7830Latest action
Sponsor: Robin L. Kelly · Representative · IL
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: WELLS Act
119th Congress
Topics: Health care
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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Hospitals taking Medicare must make a safety plan before sending home a pregnant patient who shows signs of labor but hasn't delivered.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
This bill requires certain hospitals to create a formal discharge plan before releasing a pregnant patient who shows signs of labor without having delivered. The plan must cover the medical reason for discharge, distance from the hospital, transportation, a backup hospital for care, and confirmation the patient understood everything in their own language. The bill also expands training grants for rural maternal care workers, adds a racial bias education requirement to that training, funds research comparing maternal care training methods, and creates a public online dashboard tracking maternal health data.
Who does it affect?
Hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals that participate in Medicare would need to follow the new discharge planning rules. Rural healthcare workers receiving federal grant-funded training and federal agencies overseeing research and data reporting are also affected.
Why does it matter?
Without a formal plan, a pregnant patient discharged while showing signs of labor may lack transportation, have no backup hospital identified, or not fully understand what she was told. This bill creates a record of those steps being taken before a patient leaves.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMar 5, 2026
- House committeeYou are here · Mar 5, 2026
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.