State studies and HHS report on costs of providing maternity, labor, and delivery services

Not later than 30 months after February 3, 2026, and every 5 years thereafter, each State (as such term is defined in section 1301(a)(1) of this title for purposes of subchapters XIX and XXI of this chapter) shall conduct a study on the costs of providing maternity, labor, and delivery services in applicable hospitals (as defined in paragraph (3)) and submit the results of such study to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) in such form and manner as the Secretary requires. A State study required under paragraph (1) shall include the following information (to the extent practicable and as further defined by the Secretary) with respect to maternity, labor, and delivery services furnished by applicable hospitals located in the State: The amounts applicable hospitals are paid for maternity, labor, and delivery services, by geographic location and hospital size, under— A comparative payment rate analysis— For purposes of this subsection, the term “applicable hospital” means any hospital located in a State that meets either of the following criteria: The hospital— There are appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year 2026, $10,000,000 for the purpose of providing grants and technical assistance to a hospital described in paragraph (3)(B) to enable such hospital to compile detailed information for use in the State studies required under paragraph (1), to remain available until expended. For each year in which a State is required to conduct a study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall issue, not later than 18 months after the date on which the State submits to the Secretary the data described in such paragraph, a publicly available report that compiles and details the results of such study and includes the information described in paragraph (2). Not later than 3 years and 6 months after February 3, 2026, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a report analyzing the first studies conducted by States under subsection (a)(1), including recommendations for improving data collection on the cost of providing maternity, labor, and delivery services. In addition to the amount appropriated under subsection (a)(4), there are appropriated, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise obligated, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, to remain available until expended, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for purposes of implementing this section.