{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sewell.house.gov/2025/7/sewell-duckworth-and-kim-renew-push-to-improve-access-to-prenatal-care-for-military-families", "Sewell, Duckworth, and Kim Renew Push to Improve Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families", "2025-07-10", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri A. Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", "sewell", "https://sewell.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (AL-07), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Andy Kim (D-NJ), reintroduced legislation to improve access to prenatal care for military families. The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would create a Department of Defense (DoD) pilot program to designate pregnancy as a Qualifying Life Event under the TRICARE program, empowering servicemembers and their spouses to choose a health care plan that meets their needs during pregnancy.\n\n\u201cOur military families make extraordinary sacrifices for our nation,\u201d said Rep. Sewell. \u201cThe last thing they should have to worry about is accessing basic maternal health care services during a pregnancy. This legislation would empower expectant military families to choose the health care plan that best meets their needs. It is about ensuring that moms and babies can get the care they need whenever and wherever they need it. I am proud to partner with Senators Duckworth and Kim again in the 119th Congress as we work to get this bill passed and signed into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter all the sacrifices they make for our nation each and every day, our military families should never have to face arbitrary, needless barriers to access prenatal care,\u201d said Sen. Duckworth.\u201cOur commonsense legislation would help make it easier for our brave servicemembers and military spouses to access the high-quality care they need and deserve as they build their families. It\u2019s the right thing to do, and I urge my Republican colleagues to help us get it done.\u201d\n\n\u201cMilitary moms deserve peace of mind that they\u2019ll have the right healthcare for them when they need it most,\u201d said Sen. Kim. \u201cThis bill breaks down barriers to high-quality maternal care and eases an all-too common and unfair burden on our servicemembers and their growing families.\u201d\n\nCurrently, TRICARE beneficiaries may opt to change their TRICARE plan during the annual Open Season or if they experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). QLEs include marriage, divorce, a job change, a move and the birth or adoption of a child, but not pregnancy. The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would provide greater flexibility to expectant military families by establishing a five-year DoD pilot program to designate pregnancy as a QLE. Such a designation would allow beneficiaries to switch from TRICARE\u2019s Prime and Select plans if doing so would provide that individual with better coverage for prenatal care.\n\nThe Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act is endorsed by the National Military Family Association and Military Officers Association of America.\n\n\u201cExpectant moms and their babies need quality care, but many military-connected mothers struggle to access that care,\u201d said Besa Pinchotti, CEO of the National Military Family Association. \u201cThe Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act will make pregnancy a qualifying life event, ensuring that pregnant moms and their babies get access to what they need. We\u2019re grateful to Senators Duckworth and Kim as well as Representative Sewell for championing this critical issue for military families.\u201d\n\n\u201cHealth care access is a key quality of life issue impacting military family readiness, particularly when expecting a baby,\u201d said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly USAF (Ret.), President & CEO of the Military Officers Association of America. \u201cWith capacity constraints in both the military and civilian health systems, it is more important than ever to address barriers to accessing vital prenatal care essential to positive outcomes. The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would provide the flexibility to switch TRICARE plans during pregnancy so beneficiaries can seek prenatal care that meets their needs. We appreciate the continued leadership of Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Andy Kim and Rep. Terri Sewell on improving access to care within the military health system and their support of military families.\u201d\n\nBill text is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T14:40:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sewell.house.gov/2025/7/sewell-duckworth-and-kim-renew-push-to-improve-access-to-prenatal-care-for-military-families"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6662506386637688, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}