2023 Legislative update

Thank you so much for your advocacy. It paid off!

We have Good News! The cap on the LM licensing fee was maintained. And we achieved two new successes. The: 

Birth center facility fee will be increased to $2500 starting 7/1/23 and Home Birth supplies reimbursement will be increased to $500. 

These are dramatic percentage increases in both of these codes:

S8415 is the home birth supplies code 

59409SU is the BC facility code (specifically for Medicaid)

We are moving in the right direction! Changes start 7/1/23

Here are the details:

(77) $103,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal

11  year 2024, $205,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for

12  fiscal year 2025, and $442,000 of the general fund—federal

13  appropriation are provided solely to increase birth

14  center facility fee reimbursement to $2,500 and home birth

15  kit reimbursement to $500 for providers approved by the authority

16  within the planned home births and births in birth centers program.

And for the licensing fee cap!

(64) $150,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal

39  year 2024 and $150,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for

1  fiscal year 2025 are provided solely for the midwifery licensure and

2  regulatory program to supplement revenue from fees. The department

3  shall charge no more than $525 annually for new or renewed licenses

4  for the midwifery program.