An excerpt about Certified Professional Midwives and Birth Center funding:

American Association of Birth Centers Legislative Alert

From the newsletter:

Health Care Reform Bill: CPMs included but states not guaranteed federal funds.

 
Senator Cantwell (D-WA) amended the Birth Center Provisions included in the Baucus Health Care Reform Bill to include Medicaid services in all settings of the Certified Professional Midwife, not just those in birth centers. However, the amendment was not a mandated federal payment match to the States. The House Health Care Reform Bill includes payment of CPM services in birth centers, but also provides for no federal match.  With states in budget crisis across the nation, states are reluctant to pay for services without the federal match.  There are still opportunities to amend this provision on the Senate floor or in Conference Committee.

It is as important as ever to take action during the holiday season....CRITICAL NEXT STEPS

CALL or FAX YOUR SENATORS in Washington DC and a district office. 

Click here for directions on how to CALL your Senators' health care legislative assistants.  Don't just leave your message with the receptionist - ask to leave a voice message for the Health L.A.  If their voice mail box is full, please FAX the Health L.A. with your mesage and the document "Medicaid - Why guarantee payment to birth centers?"

Encourage them to preserve the birth center facility fee as introduced by Senator Boxer and the Senate Finance Committee.  Also urge them to amend the Senate Health Reform bill to include a mandate for CPM Medicaid services.

If you do not hear back from the health care legislative assistant in 3 days, call again.  Persistence is the name of the game.

After you have made your calls, please call or email AABC's lobbyist Karen Fennell and tell her who you talked with and any comments or additional information requested. Call Karen at 301-830-3910; Send email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This report to Karen is important so that she can follow-up.

Thank you for continuing to make a difference in our legislative efforts!

Sincerely,

Jill Alliman, CNM, MSN

Chair, Legislative Committee

American Association of Birth Centers

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