HR-8317-119
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Sponsored by Nikema Williams (D-GA)
What it does
The Tech to Save Moms Act would direct federal action to expand the use of health technology — such as telehealth, remote monitoring, and digital health tools — to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States. The bill's full text was not provided beyond its title and referral to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, so specific programmatic mechanisms, funding levels, and eligibility criteria are not available for review.
Who benefits
Pregnant and postpartum women, particularly those in rural or underserved areas with limited access to in-person obstetric care. Racial and ethnic minority mothers, who experience disproportionately high maternal mortality rates. Telehealth and digital health technology companies that may receive expanded market access or federal contracts. Hospitals and health systems that adopt qualifying technologies. Potentially, Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries if coverage expansions are included.
Who is hurt
Traditional in-person obstetric care providers who may face competitive pressure or reimbursement shifts. Patients in areas with limited broadband or internet access who may be unable to benefit from telehealth solutions, potentially widening existing disparities. Insurers or federal programs that may bear increased costs if new coverage mandates are included. Taxpayers, if the bill authorizes new federal spending.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income nations — approximately 22 deaths per 100,000 live births as of recent CDC data — and that technology-based interventions can extend care to the rural and low-income patients most at risk. They contend that remote monitoring and telehealth have demonstrated measurable improvements in prenatal and postpartum outcomes in pilot programs, and that federal action is necessary to scale these tools equitably.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that technology-focused solutions may divert attention and resources from systemic drivers of maternal mortality, such as implicit bias in clinical settings, lack of insurance coverage, and workforce shortages that no app or device can address. They contend that without robust broadband infrastructure and digital literacy support — particularly in rural and low-income communities — a tech-centered approach could deepen existing disparities rather than close them.
Constitutional context
Congress may act in this area under the Taxing and Spending Clause (Art. I, §8, cl. 1) if the bill appropriates funds or attaches conditions to federal healthcare program dollars, and under the Commerce Clause (Art. I, §8, cl. 3) if it regulates health technology markets. If the bill imposes conditions on Medicaid funding, the Spending Clause coercion limit established in NFIB v. Sebelius (2012) would be relevant. Post-Loper Bright (2024), any agency rules implementing the bill's provisions would face independent judicial review rather than automatic deference.
Checks and balances
Congress would set the policy framework; HHS and potentially the FCC (for broadband-related provisions) would implement regulations and administer any grant programs; courts would review agency rules under the heightened post-Loper Bright standard.
Historical precedent
The Improving Maternal Health Access to Care Act and various ACA provisions have previously directed federal funding and telehealth expansions toward maternal health, though a bill specifically linking health technology to maternal mortality reduction at this scope has limited direct precedent.