HB 885: Public Health, Department of; establish program to assist certain pregnant women who reside in low access to maternity care areas and maternity care deserts in obtaining obstetric care

Many Georgia counties have few or no hospitals, birth centers, or doctors who deliver babies. This bill defines those areas as 'low access to maternity care areas' and 'maternity care deserts' based on specific measures like the number of obstetric providers per births or the share of uninsured women of reproductive age. The bill directs the Department of Public Health, working with the Department of Community Health and the Insurance Commissioner's office, to build a program that helps pregnant women in those areas who lack adequate insurance pay for or access obstetric care, mental health services, telehealth, transportation to appointments, and child care during appointments. The department could accept private donations and pursue federal or philanthropic funding. It must post program information online and report annually to state leaders on how many women were helped and how much money was spent. The program would only operate if the General Assembly actually appropriates money for it, and the law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Creates a new program at the Department of Public Health to help uninsured or underinsured pregnant women in low access or maternity care desert counties obtain obstetric care.
• Defines 'low access to maternity care area' and 'maternity care desert' using specific measures like provider counts, hospital availability, and insurance rates.
• Allows the department to pay for or reimburse obstetric care, mental health services, telehealth, transportation, and child care tied to prenatal appointments.
• Lets the department accept private donations and pursue federal or philanthropic funding to support the program.
• Requires an annual report to the Governor and legislative leaders on the program's reach and spending, with biennial recommendations on its future.
• Makes the entire program contingent on the General Assembly actually appropriating funds for it each year.

Pregnant women who are uninsured or underinsured and live in Georgia counties with few or no maternity care providers, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Community Health, the Insurance Commissioner's office, obstetric providers, and legislative committees that oversee public health.

Women in Georgia counties with little or no obstetric care could gain help paying for delivery care, mental health support, telehealth, transportation, and child care during pregnancy. Whether any of this happens in practice depends entirely on whether lawmakers set aside money for it in future budgets.

• Section 1 adds new Code sections 31-2A-70 through 31-2A-74 to Title 31, Chapter 2A, establishing the program.
• O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-70 defines key terms including 'low access to maternity care area,' 'maternity care desert,' 'obstetric care,' and 'obstetric provider.'
• O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-71 requires the department to create application and approval processes and lists services it may fund, including obstetric care, mental health services, telehealth, transportation, and child care.
• O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-71(e) makes the program contingent on annual appropriations by the General Assembly.
• O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-72 authorizes the department to accept donations and pursue federal or private funding for the program.
• O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-73 requires an annual report to state leaders on program outcomes and spending, plus biennial recommendations on continuing the program.
• O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-74 directs the department to adopt rules and regulations needed to carry out the program.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill becoming law without signature.

1. 2025-04-04House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-04-02House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-31House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Park Cannon (D, HD-058)Patrocinador principal
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)

• maternal health
• obstetric care
• rural health care
• public health funding
• pregnancy assistance