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Congress·In Committee·about 1 month ago

Senator Shaheen Proposes Eliminating Out-of-Pocket Costs for Mental Health Care During and After Pregnancy

Also known as: Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

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Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill would require health insurance companies to stop charging copays, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket costs for mental health and substance use treatments for pregnant people.
  • The free coverage would start as soon as a pregnancy is diagnosed and continue for one full year after the pregnancy ends, ensuring new parents have access to support during the first year of a child's life.
  • The rules would apply to most private health plans, group insurance, and individual plans, covering both in-person visits and telehealth appointments with in-network doctors.
  • If passed, these changes would take effect for health plans starting two years after the bill becomes law, giving insurance companies time to update their coverage rules.
  • The goal of the policy is to make it easier and more affordable for new and expecting parents to get help for conditions like postpartum depression or addiction without worrying about the cost.
Healthcare

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jan 27, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Jan 27, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related News

2 articles
Seehafer News·about 1 month ago

Sen. Baldwin Introduces Bill to Support Pregnant and Postpartum Mothers

Senator Tammy Baldwin, along with Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Representative Gwen Moore, introduced the Mental Health and MAMA Act to eliminate copays for mental health and addiction services for pregnant and postpartum women, ensuring affordable access during the first year after birth.

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Hoodline·about 1 month ago

U.S. Legislators Introduce MAMA Act to Expand Mental Health Care for Mothers

A new federal bill, the Mental Health and Making Access More Affordable (MAMA) Act, has been introduced to dismantle financial barriers to mental health and addiction services for pregnant and postpartum women by mandating no-copay coverage under private and public health plans.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2026

Bill NumberS 3698
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(3)
D: 3

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.