Expanding Access to Women’s Health Grant

Background
Section 2794(c) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) appropriates $250 million to the Secretary to award grants to States to assist them with the health insurance rate review process from fiscal years (FYs) 2010 through 2014. Section 2794(c)(2)(B) specifies that any rate review grant funds not obligated by the end of FY 2014 will remain available to the Secretary for grants to States for planning and implementing the health insurance market reforms and consumer protections under Part A of Title XXVII of the PHS Act.

The Expanding Access to Women’s Health Grant Program will provide a funding source to States for activities related to planning and implementing the market reforms and consumer protections under pre-selected provisions of Part A of Title XXVII of the PHS Act to enhance and expand access to reproductive health and maternal health coverage and services.

Grant Details
The grant funds may be used for a variety of objectives, including developing campaigns to educate women on reproductive healthcare coverage options, expanding access to reproductive health and family planning services, assessing and updating current Essential Health Benefits (EHB)-benchmark plans, and assessing the cost of broadening coverage of reproductive healthcare services in the State. The goal is to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates by ensuring women have access to timely lifesaving treatments.

The grant program also aims at addressing disparities in reproductive and maternal health outcomes resulting from difficulties in accessing reproductive healthcare information or coverages.

Eligibility Requirements
The grant opportunity is open to State governments, Native American tribal governments, education organizations, public housing organizations, nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, small businesses, individuals, and other unrestricted entities. Only one application per State is permitted unless there is more than one regulating entity responsible for implementation and enforcement of the pre-selected market reforms and consumer protections identified in which case multiple applications are allowed but the total grant award allocated for that State must be split among them.

Period of Performance
The anticipated period of performance is from September 13, 2024 through September 12, 2026.

Grant Value
$11.1 million is anticipated as total available funding for the Expanding Access to Women’s Health Grant Program. The baseline award amount is $210,000 for a two-year project period with potential additional funding based on the number of actual Letters of Intent received.

Place of Performance
The grant opportunity is open to all fifty States and the District of Columbia.