B 26-0356 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Prenatal and Postpartum Remote Patient Monitoring Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

This bill clarifies that the District of Columbia's Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) must cover and reimburse remote patient monitoring for specific health metrics during pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum. It specifically requires coverage for remote monitoring of blood pressure and blood glucose levels, directly affecting pregnant individuals and new mothers in DC who manage conditions like gestational hypertension (8.5% prevalence) or gestational diabetes (5% prevalence). The amendment narrows the scope of the 2013 Telehealth Reimbursement Act to focus exclusively on these two health metrics, addressing prior budget concerns about broad digital health coverage. This change aims to improve maternal health outcomes by enabling early complication detection, as supported by studies showing 43% better postpartum blood pressure control with such monitoring.
Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Council Passage
Jun 2026
Signed into Law
Jul 2026
Introduced Sep 16, 2025 Signed Jul 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment → Enrollment · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was finalized and enrolled after passing the Council, moving from its original draft to the final version ready for the Mayor's signature. The core policy to reimburse remote monitoring for pregnant patients remains the same, but the final version added a new section requiring the Budget Director to publish a notice of the Chief Financial Officer's certification in the official register. Additionally, the effective date clause was updated to include the standard 30-day congressional review period required by federal law.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding patient eligibility and reimbursement criteria did not change; however, the administrative process for determining when the law takes effect was expanded to include a mandatory public notice step.
REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the Budget Director to publish a notice of the fiscal certification in the District of Columbia Register.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date section to explicitly include the 30-day congressional review period required by federal law.

TECHNICAL

Added a new Section 4 regarding the fiscal impact statement, which was absent in the engrossed draft.

Changed the applicability language from a budget inclusion date to a date following certification and notice publication.

Floor votes · Council Jun 2, 2026

How they voted

13–0
Passed
Total votes 13
Jun 2, 2026
D Democratic11
11 Yea
100% Yea
I Independent2
2 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Jun 2, 2026
Council · Passed
Council Vote: pass (13-0)
council
Apr 7, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Committee Mark-up of B26-0356 by the Health Committee
legislature
Sep 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Health
legislature
Sep 16, 2025
Introduced
B26-0356 Introduced by Councilmember Henderson at Office of the Secretary
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Christina Henderson
Christina Henderson
IIndependent
DC
At-Large