Capital District Times

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, representing Fort Drum, and Congresswoman Nancy Mace from South Carolina have reintroduced the Military Moms Act in Washington, D.C. The legislation aims to support maternal healthcare access for military mothers and their families by allowing pregnancy to be recognized as a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). This change would enable service members and their spouses to modify their TRICARE plans accordingly.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik stated, "As a mom and the Representative of Fort Drum, I am proud to reintroduce the Military Moms Act to support and expand access to healthcare for our pregnant service members or their spouses as their families grow. Our military families serve our nation selflessly and it is our duty to take care of them, their children, and their families so that they can focus on safeguarding our nation."

Congresswoman Nancy Mace emphasized the current challenge within military healthcare, expressing that, “Our service members and their families make extraordinary sacrifices to protect our nation, and their healthcare needs don’t pause when they choose to start or grow their families. Right now, pregnancy isn’t even considered a qualifying life event under TRICARE—it’s absurd. The Military Moms Act puts military families first by giving expectant service members and spouses the power to choose the healthcare plan best suited to their needs before, during, and after pregnancy. This pro-family, pro-women legislation delivers a common-sense solution to a problem long overdue for fixing."

The proposed Military Moms Act comprises several key components. It seeks to classify pregnancy and pregnancy loss as QLEs under TRICARE rules, allowing changes in healthcare plans to better cater to maternal care needs. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to conduct a comprehensive study on access to maternal healthcare within the Military Health System. This aligns with provisions of the Improving Access to Maternal Health for Military and Dependent Moms Act. Moreover, a dedicated webpage on resources related to maternal and infant health for new mothers and their families would be published on the DoD-run Military One Source website.

The full bill can be accessed for review at the provided online link.