S. 2004, the Maternal and Infant Syphilis Prevention Act, directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to state Medicaid programs and children's health insurance programs on best practices for screening and treating syphilis in pregnant women and congenital syphilis in infants. The bill responds to a dramatic rise in syphilis cases, with congenital syphilis cases more than 10 times higher in 2023 than in 2012, resulting in hundreds of stillbirths and infant deaths annually. The guidance, which must be issued within 12 months of the bill's enactment, will address expanding syphilis screening access, educating healthcare providers and pregnant women, improving third-trimester and delivery screening rates, integrating telehealth services, and enhancing treatment options. The legislation also requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress within two years analyzing how states have implemented these best practices. According to the bill's findings, timely testing and treatment during pregnancy could prevent nearly 90 percent of congenital syphilis cases.
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