Health insurance coverage for maternal mental health screenings
Summary
Virginia House Bill 1400 requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for maternal mental health screenings, including at least one screening during pregnancy and at least one during the first six weeks postpartum, plus additional medically necessary postpartum screenings. The bill also prohibits prior authorization requirements and step therapy protocols for prescription drugs treating maternal mental health conditions.
What changed
Virginia enacted HB1400, mandating health insurance carriers to cover maternal mental health screenings. The law requires at least one screening during pregnancy and one within the first six weeks postpartum, with additional medically necessary screenings covered. Importantly, prescription drugs for maternal mental health conditions are exempt from prior authorization and step therapy protocols.
Health insurers in Virginia must update their coverage policies to include these maternal mental health screenings and remove prior authorization requirements for qualifying prescription drugs. The bill passed the House 70-25 and the Senate 40-0 before enrollment on March 30, 2026.
What to do next
- Update coverage policies to include maternal mental health screenings during pregnancy and postpartum
- Remove prior authorization requirements for prescription drugs treating maternal mental health conditions
- Communicate coverage changes to members and healthcare providers
Source document (simplified)
VA HB1400 | 2026 | Regular Regular Session
Virginia House Bill 1400
VA State Legislature page for HB1400
- Summary
- Sponsors
- Texts
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Status
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13)
Status: Enrolled on March 30 2026 - 75% progression
Action: 2026-03-30 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1400ER)
Text: Latest bill text (Enrolled) [HTML]
Summary
Health insurance; coverage for maternal mental health screenings. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for maternal mental health screenings. The bill requires such coverage to include at least one maternal mental health screening to be conducted during pregnancy, at least one additional screening to be conducted during the first six weeks of the postpartum period, and additional medically necessary postpartum screenings. Additionally, the bill provides that coverage for a prescription drug for the treatment of a maternal mental health condition is not subject to prior authorization requirements or step therapy protocols.
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Title
Health insurance; coverage for maternal mental health screenings.
Sponsors
| Del. Margaret Franklin [D] | Del. Bonita Anthony [D] | Del. Joshua Thomas [D] | Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker [D] |
| Del. Rae Cousins [D] | Del. Rozia Henson [D] | Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra [D] | Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling [D] |
| Del. Leslie Chambers Mehta [D] | Del. May Nivar [D] | Del. Kimberly Pope Adams [D] | Del. Marcia Price [D] |
| Del. Kathy Tran [D] | | | |
Roll Calls
2026-03-12 - House - Senate amendment agreed to by House (70-Y 25-N 0-A) (Y: 70 N: 25 NV: 0 Abs: 4) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - Senate - Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - Senate - Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - Senate - Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-10 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 37 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 3) [PASS]
2026-03-09 - Senate - Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (15-Y 0-N) (Y: 15 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-17 - House - Read third time and passed House (66-Y 30-N 0-A) (Y: 66 N: 30 NV: 0 Abs: 4) [PASS]
2026-02-12 - House - Reported from Labor and Commerce (13-Y 7-N) (Y: 13 N: 7 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-02-10 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N) (Y: 5 N: 3 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1400ER) |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Enrolled |
| 2026-03-12 | House | Senate amendment agreed to by House (70-Y 25-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate as amended |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Read third time |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Rules suspended |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (15-Y 0-N) |
| 2026-03-09 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1400) |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House (66-Y 30-N 0-A) |
| 2026-02-16 | House | Read second time and engrossed |
| 2026-02-15 | House | Read first time |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce (13-Y 7-N) |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N) |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Presented and ordered printed 26105744D |
Virginia State Sources
| Type | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Summary | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1400 |
| Text | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1400/text/HB1400 |
| Text | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1400/text/HB1400ER |
| Amendment | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1400/text/HB1400AS1 |
| Amendment | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1400/text/HB1400EDOC |
| Supplement | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199247.PDF |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/H14001V2612581 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/H14V2613078 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/26110423 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/S2V2786 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/SV1208 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/SV1212 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/SV1213 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/SV1214 |
| Roll Call | https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB1400/20261/26111140 |
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