This bill requires the federal Department of Health and Human Services to create and distribute guidance to states on best practices for preventing congenital syphilis, which occurs when pregnant women pass syphilis to their babies. The guidance must address expanded syphilis screening for pregnant women and newborns, education for healthcare providers and patients, use of telehealth services, and improved treatment approaches, and will specifically apply to state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs as well as Indian Health Service programs. The bill responds to a dramatic public health crisis in which congenital syphilis cases among newborns jumped from around 350 in 2012 to more than 3,700 in 2022, with timely testing and treatment during pregnancy potentially preventing up to 90 percent of these cases. The Secretary must issue the guidance within 12 months of the bill's enactment and submit a report to Congress within 2 years analyzing how states have implemented these recommendations. This bipartisan legislation aims to reduce preventable infant illness and death by ensuring consistent, evidence-based screening and treatment practices across state health programs.
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