Legislative Agenda for 2024 ~ TBD
Join our Legislative & Health Policy Team Thursdays at 9am via Zoom to get involved! Legislative & Policy Agenda for 2023: Licensed Midwives provide comprehensive, high quality prenatal care, have excellent birth outcomes and support breastfeeding—all while bending down the healthcare cost curve. Increase Medicaid Reimbursement for Birth Center Facility Fees and Home Birth Supplies in the State Budget. Improve midwifery care access by making the profession more sustainable. The requested rates of home birth supplies at $1000 (from $75) per birth and the birth center facility reimbursement at $4900 (from $1700) per birth still represent a cost savings to the state as maternity care is an entitlement and the alternative is hospital care. The total cost to the state for the biennium for the increases is approximately $1 million, and qualifies for a $1.5 million federal match. (Champions are Rep. Monica Stonier and Sen. Emily Randall.) Continue support for the cap on midwifery annual professional licensing fee. A study commissioned by the legislature showed that capping annual professional licensing fees for midwives at $525 is well worth the money. Since this cap was put in place, the licensed midwife workforce has more than doubled, resulting in more families in Washington having access to high-quality, cost-effective care and even greater savings to the state budget. The total cost of the licensing fee cap is $300,000 for the biennium (Champions are Rep. Beth Doglio and Sen. Sam Hunt.) Midwifery Facts:
Other Bills we are supporting: HB 1541
SB 5477:
SB 5581
SB 5580:
HB 1177/SB5137
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9 New Freestanding Birth Centers
(almost all in underserved areas) began operating over the past 5 years, but 4 have also had to close (and 2 more may soon). Close up of Most Birth Centers in the Puget Sound:
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References
Washington State Maternal Mortality Review Panel: Maternal Deaths 2017–2020 Report (Feb 2023)
NPR 2/23/23: The number of mothers who die due to pregnancy or childbirth is 'unacceptable'
Seattle Times 2/27/23: Black, Native infants in King County die at higher rate than white babies
ACOG Journal (2021): Birth Outcomes for Planned Home and Licensed Freestanding Birth Center Births in WA State
Value of midwifery care
Department of Health Cost Benefit Study, reaffirmed 2017
Washington State Maternal Mortality Review Panel: Maternal Deaths 2017–2020 Report (Feb 2023)
NPR 2/23/23: The number of mothers who die due to pregnancy or childbirth is 'unacceptable'
Seattle Times 2/27/23: Black, Native infants in King County die at higher rate than white babies
ACOG Journal (2021): Birth Outcomes for Planned Home and Licensed Freestanding Birth Center Births in WA State
Value of midwifery care
Department of Health Cost Benefit Study, reaffirmed 2017