WASHINGTON - After announcing the WELLS Act, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) continues to take action and demand accountability for her constituent, Mercedes Wells, who was discharged while in active labor. She sent letters to five of the largest health insurance companies, the Office of Inspector General at the health department, and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.

"Racism in our healthcare system is preventing Black women from receiving the treatment they need and deserve," said Rep. Kelly. "I'm working on this issue at every angle, from health insurance companies to hospital systems to federal investigations and legislation. We all have a role in improving our healthcare system. I brought the issue of maternal mortality to Congress. I will keep sharing Mercedes's story, and uplifting the voices of women who have gone unheard, until every mother gets the care she deserves."

Reps. Kelly, Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and 31 Members of Congress sent a letter demanding investigations into the hospitals that mistreated Wells and Karrie Jones, another Black woman who was delayed care, to the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services. Formal investigations should be launched to determine whether Franciscan Health in Crown Point, Indiana, and Dallas Regional Medical Center violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor (EMTALA) Act of 1986.

"These cases [of Mercedes Wells and Karrie Jones] are not isolated failures; they are part of the ongoing warnings of the Black maternal health crisis, heightened by funding cuts for maternal health and equity," wrote the Members. "Federal protections like EMTALA mean little without enforcement, transparency, and accountability."

Read the full letter here.

Reps. Kelly, Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and 49 Members of Congress sent a letter urging Secretary Kennedy to wield his department's oversight powers to ensure hospitals adhere to patient-safety standards. Hospitals must also comply with civil rights protections of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race.

"These failures in judgment and oversight are unacceptable and raise serious concerns about whether hospitals receiving federal funds are meeting their obligations under federal law, including patient safety standards and nondiscrimination requirements," wrote the members.

Read the full letter here.

Rep. Kelly also sent letters to the CEOs of major health insurance companies, including Humana, UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and Cigna Group. She is urging health insurance companies to utilize their market position to improve policies and outcomes for patients.

As she writes in her letter, "While your organization is not a direct provider of hospital services, health insurance companies play a pivotal role in shaping hospital standards through contracting requirements, quality metrics, and network adequacy."

Read the full letters to Jim Rechtin with Humana, Stephen Hemsely with United Health Group, Steve Nelson with Aetna, Kim Keck with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and David Cordani with Cigna Group.