Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021: HIMSS Endorses Comprehensive Legislative Package

On Feb. 8, Reps. Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams, Sen. Cory Booker and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. HIMSS is proud to join 190 other organizations to support the Momnibus.

The Momnibus is a bicameral legislative package consisting of 12 bills that aim to comprehensively address the drivers of the maternal health crisis in the United States and end racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. This bill would make critical investments to address social determinants of health, support individuals at the community level, increase utilization of digital tools and improve data collection processes and quality measures.

Mothers in America are dying at the highest rate in the developed world, and this risk is even greater for Black women and birthing people of color. This legislation takes critical steps to combat this crisis.

"The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is pleased to support the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, which closely aligns with the HIMSS vision to realize the full health potential of every human, everywhere. The maternal mortality crisis is unacceptable, and we must prioritize reducing these preventable pregnancy-related deaths. HIMSS applauds the Momnibus package’s proactive use of efforts to implement information and technology to improve maternal health outcomes and end racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health care," said Denise Hines, DHA, PMP, FHIMSS, Chief Americas Officer, and Lead, Global Health Equity Network at HIMSS.

HIMSS specifically commends the inclusion of the Tech to Save Moms Act within this package. Sponsored by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and Sen. Bob Menendez, this bill makes investments to promote the integration and development of telehealth and other digital tools to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity and close racial and ethnic gaps in maternal health outcomes.

The intents of this bill are synonymous with the work being done by HIMSS as a co-chair of the Maternal Applications of Technology for Community Health (MATCH) Coalition, which aims to bring together a group of diverse stakeholders who believe in the value of digital health technology for maternal health and wish to ensure its safe, affordable and ubiquitous adoption.

The goals of this legislation also align with the HIMSS Global Health Equity Network (GHEN) and Accelerate Health’s Global Maternal Health Tech Challenge, which is bringing together innovators, patient advocates, government, payers, providers and the community to crowdsource solutions to this significant crisis and to serve as the vehicle to address underserved communities and improve health and healthcare for all populations.