“Wells Act” aims to enhance labor discharge plans and tackle racial bias in hospitals

Nov

2025

In the News

“Wells Act” aims to enhance labor discharge plans and tackle racial bias in hospitals

CHICAGO (WGN) — U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) on Tuesday introduced legislation named after Mercedes Wells, the woman who was discharged from an Indiana hospital while in active labor.

“The ‘Wells Act stands for Women Expansion Learning and Labor Safety…it aims to address systemic issues about maternal care, racial disparities and hospital accountability,” Kelly said.

The “Wells Act” is meant to prevent similar situations, requiring hospitals to implement a safe discharge labor plan. Concerning the legislation, which contains a racial bias training component, Rep. Kelly has long advocated for maternal mortality awareness to Congress. She previously introduced the first-ever comprehensive legislative package to save mothers and babies from preventable deaths and ensure healthier outcomes.

Studies show Black women are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related causes than white women.

Following their premature discharge from the hospital, it was around midnight Saturday into Sunday, Nov. 15 into Nov. 16, that the Wells were traveling home when Mercedes said she went into labor two weeks early with the couple’s fourth child.

She gave birth to a healthy baby girl minutes later on the side of the road.

Franciscan Health Crown Point CEO, Raymond Grady, announced days later the firing of the doctor and nurse who discharged Wells, stating that the hospital “failed to listen.”

Grady added that the hospital would be changing its policies regarding pregnant patients by mandating cultural competency training for all labor and delivery staff and physician examinations for all pregnant patients leaving the Labor and Delivery unit.

The Wells also contemplated taking legal action against the hospital.

By Alonzo Small