Cesarean Awareness Month – April 2012

For the first time in 14 years, the 2010 US C-section rate of 32.8% is down slightly from the 2009 rate of 32.9%. This is excellent news but it is too early to celebrate. A quick look at the US Cesarean Rates from 1970 to 2010 depicts the long history of a negative trend. It [...]

Leg Update for MotherBaby Bills in Oregon

Two of three motherbaby-oriented bills signed into law so far… Midwifery Bill HB 2380 passed the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday and now goes to the Senate floor. This bill creates a majority of licensed direct-entry midwives on the Oregon Board of Direct Entry Midwives, establishes protected peer review for licensed midwives, alters birth statistic [...]

Mandatory Licensure for Midwives?

Oregon State Represenative Mitch Greenlick has introduced House Bill 2380 to the Health Care Committee. 2380 requires all direct-entry midwives in the state to become licensed providers. If passed, this bill would replace Oregon’s voluntary licensure program for direct-entry midwifery. Bill 2380 contains an emergency clause making it effective upon signature by the Governor meaning [...]

Latest on Midwifery Board rules / Shout Out to Midwifery Supporters

Latest development in OARS The Oregon Board of Direct Entry Midwifery is near the end of a yearlong process of revising the Oregon Administrative Rules (draft rules) that govern licensed direct-entry midwives (LDMs). With a few exceptions, LDMs are the sole providers of home birth services in Oregon. In September, draft rules developed by the [...]

New rules for the Oregon Midwifery Board?

Last month, the Oregon Board of Direct Entry Midwifery (Midwifery Board) voted seven to one to submit revised administrative rules to the Oregon Health Licensing Agency (OHLA). This is the latest development in a nearly ten-month process of literature review, expert testimony and public comment. Not altered since 1993, the administrative rules regulate licensed direct [...]

Access to Licensed Direct Entry Midwives

Two important events affecting ongoing access to Oregon’s licensed direct-entry midwives happened in September. #1: PEBB defers to Midwifery Licensing Board on coverage The Public Employee Benefit Board will continue to follow guidelines established by the Board of Direct Entry Midwifery when determining coverage for members accessing maternity care with licensed direct-entry midwives. The Lund [...]

PEBB restores coverage for out-of-hospital maternity care

At its April 20 meeting, the Oregon PEBB Board voted unaninmously to reinstate statewide coverage for home-based and birth center-based maternity care provided by licensed direct-entry midwives (LDM). LDM maternity services will again be covered at 70%. PEBB’s action restores this benefit as it existed since the 1990s under Regence BlueCross BlueShield. PEBB board members [...]

Will PEBB restore access to licensed homebirth midwives?

Next Tuesday (April 20th), the Oregon Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) will discuss and, hopefully, restore its members’ access to licensed direct-entry midwives (LDMs). PEBB Members for Maternity Care Choice (members) will be there to continue months-long efforts to have PEBB direct Providence Health Plans to properly process claims for LDM reimbursement. The coalition’s online [...]

Coalition Petitions PEBB Board to Make Good on Word by Restoring Choice in Maternity Care

On March 16, PEBB Members for Maternity Care Choice attended the PEBB Board meeting to request reinstatement of coverage for homebirth maternity care with Oregon licensed direct-entry midwives (LDMs). Despite multiple assurances of uninterrupted access to this choice in benefit, LDMs were excluded from coverage in the 2010 Statewide Plan. The Statewide Plan is one [...]

2010 PEBB changes result in lost coverage for home birth

Despite assurances of “no changes to the current design of the healthcare plans” and after a decade of insured access to home birth with licensed midwives, Oregon women covered under the new 2010 PEBB Statewide Medical Plan now and with no prior warning receive zero insurance coverage for this choice in maternity care. Before 2010, [...]