Bill Overview
Title: Standing with Moms Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disseminate information about pregnancy-related resources. Specifically, HHS must maintain a public website (life.gov) that lists such resources that are available through federal, state, and local governments and private entities. Additionally, HHS must maintain on its website a portal that provides a user, based on the user's responses to a series of questions, tailored information about pregnancy resources available in the user's zip code and risks related to abortion. HHS must develop a plan to conduct follow-up outreach to users of the portal (if the user consents to the outreach). States must recommend resources that meet criteria set by HHS for including through the portal. HHS may award grants to states to establish or support a system that aggregates resources to include on the portal. Further, the Health Resources and Services Administration must share information about life.gov and the portal through the Maternal Mental Health Hotline. HHS must also ensure that the life.gov website and hotline are available to families who speak languages other than English. The bill excludes from life.gov, the portal, and the hotline resources provided by entities that (1) perform, induce, refer for, or counsel in favor of abortions; or (2) financially support such entities. The bill also requires HHS to report on traffic to life.gov and the portal, gaps in services available to pregnant and postpartum individuals, and related matters.
Sponsors: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in reproductive health and pregnancy care worldwide
Estimated Size: 72000000
- Pregnant individuals in the United States will be directly impacted as the bill aims to disseminate information about pregnancy-related resources through a centralized government portal.
- Women planning pregnancies or those who are currently pregnant can use the resource portal to locate relevant resources in their area.
- The bill includes outreach to users, aiming to offer continuous support, impacting those who engage with the portal and consent to follow-up.
- The bill also impacts service providers who offer pregnancy-related resources but do not provide, induce, or counsel in favor of abortion, as they are eligible to be listed on life.gov.
- States are involved because they must recommend resources for listing, thereby impacting state health departments.
- The website and hotline will be multilingual, directly impacting families who speak languages other than English.
Reasoning
- The Standing with Moms Act is primarily designed to impact pregnant individuals and women planning pregnancies by providing easy access to localized resources through life.gov. It is expected to have a low to medium impact on the wellbeing of the target population by providing information and reducing stress related to finding pregnancy-related resources.
- The policy's impact is limited to those who actively engage with the portal and consent to follow-up, so not all potential beneficiaries may experience the improvement.
- The exclusion of abortion-related services from the portal and hotline means the Act's impact is limited to non-abortion-related pregnancy and maternal services, which may not address all needs of those seeking comprehensive reproductive health information.
- The multilingual availability of the portal and hotline broadens access, which can particularly benefit non-English speaking families.
- Cost and resource constraints limit the overall reach of the program, especially in low-resource, rural, or otherwise underserved areas where internet access may also be limited.
- Healthcare providers who participate in the policy by listing resources may see an indirect benefit through increased engagement with expectant mothers.
Simulated Interviews
Retail Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am grateful for a resource like life.gov because finding information has been overwhelming.
- Excited to have information in Spanish, as not everything is easily accessible in my first language.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Nurse (Columbus, OH)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The portal could be very useful while planning for a pregnancy.
- However, the exclusion of certain resources limits options and perspectives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Farmer (Rural Montana)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.5 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's tough getting reliable internet here so I worry how useful life.gov will really be for me.
- A hotline that's toll-free might be more valuable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Software Engineer (New York, NY)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being able to see all resources available nearby is particularly helpful.
- Having a centralized resource is great, but assistance on preparing for parenting would be excellent.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Stay-at-home Mom (Miami, FL)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A multilingual service is a relief; I feel more included.
- Worried about the exclusion of some healthcare options, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Teacher (Salt Lake City, UT)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope life.gov helps me find good childcare options in my community.
- Exclude medical options are a concern for comprehensive information.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Barista (Chicago, IL)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Assistance and information from life.gov would lessen my stress levels.
- Excluding certain organizations doesn't truly reflect all needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
OBGYN (San Diego, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see potential in the Standing with Moms Act to inform patients, but I'm concerned about excluding abortion-related resources.
- Patients need full spectrum information to make informed decisions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Freelancer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Life.gov might provide clarity on resources available, but excluding certain options doesn't resonate with everyone.
- Essential to have a well-rounded view of healthcare options.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Public Health Worker (Boston, MA)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Life.gov provides needed information but further resources are necessary for those in underserved areas.
- Legislation needs to cover broader spectrum of healthcare options.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $62000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $80000000)
Year 2: $48000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 3: $48000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 5: $48000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 10: $48000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 100: $48000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Key Considerations
- The initial costs are notably higher due to system development and grants for state-level resource aggregation infrastructure.
- Multilingual support increases both setup and ongoing costs, considering translation and continuous updates in multiple languages.
- Annual savings are not expected, as this bill focuses primarily on resource dissemination rather than cost-saving measures.