GAO Audits CDC Maternal Health Program as States Leverage $134M Grant Flow
A new GAO report finds the CDC effectively monitors $134 million in state maternal mortality review grants. Committees drive major policy shifts, including Medicaid extensions, mental health interventions, and racial disparity initiatives critical to public and military health networks.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released an assessment evaluating federal oversight of Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With over 600 pregnancy-related deaths occurring annually in the U.S.—more than 80 percent of which are deemed preventable—the CDC has allocated approximately $134 million over a five-year cycle (2024–2029) to support MMRCs across 52 states and territories. GAO confirmed that CDC oversight mechanisms align with key performance management practices, successfully tracking local committee recommendations and implementation outcomes.
MMRCs analyze clinical and non-clinical data to identify systemic factors driving maternal mortality and propose action items for healthcare systems and lawmakers. GAO found that all selected committees actively evaluate state and federal policies during cause-of-death reviews. Crucially, recommendations from five examined committees directly prompted state legislation extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum. Priority areas across state committees include mental health and substance abuse screening—unintentional overdose and suicide represent leading causes of maternal mortality—care coordination, healthcare workforce capacity, and targeted interventions for severe racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.
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