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Committee hears case to require Medicaid coverage for prenatal and postpartum remote monitoring
Summary
Supporters told the Committee on Health that B26‑356 would clarify Medicaid reimbursement for prenatal and postpartum remote patient monitoring (blood pressure and blood glucose), enabling earlier detection of complications and more equitable access for Medicaid patients.
Chair Christina Henderson on Thursday opened a public hearing on B26‑356, the Prenatal and Postpartum Remote Patient Monitoring Clarification Amendment Act of 2025, saying the bill narrows and clarifies which digital monitoring services the District’s Medicaid program must cover to accelerate implementation of tools that can detect pregnancy‑related complications early.
Clinical and provider witnesses urged the committee to act. "DCPCA strongly supports this legislation's intent to clarify coverage and reimbursement for remote patient monitoring or RPM for blood pressure and blood glucose during pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum," said Dr. Rochelle Logan, chief program officer at the D.C. Primary Care Association. Sarah Nicholson of BabyScripts said that providers using RPM detect preeclampsia earlier and reduce unnecessary emergency department use: "This bill provides the clarity needed to ensure that remote patient monitoring, both prenatal and postpartum, is explicitly recognized, appropriately structured, and positioned to be implemented in alignment with federal guidance for the Transforming Maternal Health TEMA model."
Nancy Bann, chief executive officer of Mary's Center, said her health centers serve more than 65,000 people a year, including about 2,000 pregnancies, and that RPM would allow clinicians to intervene earlier and reduce avoidable hospitalizations. Anish Sebastian, co‑founder and CEO of BabyScripts, urged the committee to advance the bill and provide DHCF the resources needed to operationalize services and leverage federal opportunities.
Department of Healthcare Finance officials described legal and budgetary details the committee must consider. DHCF estimated a narrowed scope focused on blood pressure and glucose for high‑risk pregnancies would target roughly 3,000 individuals and that equipment and monthly service costs were a material portion of the price tag. Deputy Mayor and DHCF Director Wayne Turnage said DHCF supports the policy aims but flagged a legal sufficiency issue tied to state plan changes that will require coordination with the mayor’s office.
The committee did not vote at the hearing. Chair Henderson invited additional written testimony through Dec. 29 and said staff will follow up with DHCF on data and a fresh fiscal analysis reflecting the narrower scope.
