Legislative & Policy Agenda 2023
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This year, we will be advocating for increased Medicaid reimbursement for births at home and in freestanding birth centers! Click here for more information about our Annual Midwife Lobby Day and register to join us!

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Legislative & Policy Agenda 2022       ONE PAGE DOWNLOAD

Our bill SSB 5765 to authorize Licensed Midwives to prescribe contraceptives and manage common conditions of pregnancy passed the WA State Senate and House this 2022 legislative session!
Rationale: 
When people who have just had a baby must attend an extra appointment to get a contraceptive prescription or insertion they are less likely to use effective methods or any method.  As Licensed Midwives do not currently have the authority to prescribe all contraceptive types, their patients risk delay and loss to follow-up, which significantly impacts already vulnerable and marginalized populations. Barriers have been identified as cost or insurance obstacles, time, inconvenience, transportation barriers, or new provider trust issues. SB 5765 would enable the Licensed Midwives’ “Legend Drug and Devices” to be updated. SB 5765 will:
  • Decrease morbidity associated with untreated conditions
  • Ensure families have the tools to plan their family size & space their pregnancies
  • Reduce costs and barriers to care by eliminating unnecessary additional visits with another provider
  • Enable the prevention & efficient treatment of common conditions identified by midwives such as breast infections, urinary tract infections, nausea & vomiting 
  • Increase midwifery integration into the healthcare system 
  • Expand patient choice of practitioner who can meet their routine perinatal needs, particularly in medically underserved rural and urban areas
  • Improve use of services and affect the size and demographics of the workforce without negatively impacting quality of care​

We are grateful the licensing fee cap is maintained through this biennium. 

MAWS also supported:
  • SB 5702: Insurance coverage of human breast milk from a milk bank while babies are hospitalized. 
    • Many health benefits and long term savings to the healthcare system!
  • HB 1651: Allowing providers to bill separately for immediate postpartum contraception.
    • Currently only covered at final postpartum visit
  • HB 1730/SB 5647: Insurance Coverage of Fertility treatments for those who need them to become pregnant
  • HB 1881: Access to reimbursement for Doulas
    • To increase the availability of this evidence-based care that improves outcomes!
  • HB 1947/SB 5838: Providing a monthly diaper subsidy for families receiving TANF
  • Access to Community Health Workers for Relational Health
    • Connecting families with social determinant of health needs to postpartum services
  • Investment in Perinatal Support though the Washington’s Parent Support Warm Line so un- and underserved expectant and new parents have greater and more equitable access to mental health services through peer- to-peer engagement and increased public awareness. (No bill, advocating to be included in the state budget)​

Published by the Midwives’ Association of Washington State (MAWS) 2022
For more information, please contact: Jen Segadelli, MAWS President info@washingtonmidwives.org or
Amber Ulvenes, MAWS Lobbyist, at (360) 280-0384 amber@ulvenesconsulting.com

References:
  1. Zerden ML, Tang JH, Stuart GS, Norton DR, Verbiest SB, Brody S. Barriers to receiving long-acting reversible contraception in the postpartum period. Women's Health Issues. 2015;25(6):616-621. doi:10.1016/j.whi.2015.06.004
  2. Segadelli J. The provision of contraceptive services by Licensed Midwives in Washington state: Proposed statutory and regulatory language for expanding the scope of practice [master’s thesis]. Kenmore, WA: Bastyr University, 2016.
  3. Effland, K. J., Hays, K. E., Zell, B. A., Lawal, T. K., & Koontz, M. (2020). Medication access and midwifery integration: An example of community midwifery advocacy for access in Washington State, USA. Birth. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/birt.12523 
  4. Beal MW, Batzli ME, Hoyt A. Regulation of certified nurse‐midwife scope of practice: Change in the professional practice index, 2000 to 2015. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2015;60(5):510‐518. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12362
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  10. Yang YT, Attanasio LB, Kozhimannil KB. State​ scope of practice laws, nurse‐midwifery workforce, and childbirth procedures and outcomes. Womens Health Issues. 2016;26(3):262‐267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2016.02.003
  11. Effland, K. J., Hays, K., Zell, B. A., Lawal, T., Grantham, R. L., & Koontz, M. (2021). Increasing access to medications and devices for the care of low-risk childbearing families: An analysis of existing law and strategies for advocacy. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health. 66(5), 604-623. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13275 ​​
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