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Sharing a midwife story from this month as we enter Ramadan. Yemen Midwives, working where many previous medical models have abandoned care of women. ![]()
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SANA'A, Yemen – “Often heard throughout the global pandemic is that essential workers cannot work from home. But the world’s worst humanitarian crisis calls for extraordinary measures. In a country ravaged by conflict, where only half of health facilities are operable and only one in five of those remaining offer maternal care, midwives are carving out space in their homes for makeshift maternity clinics. There they provide basic antenatal care, delivery and post-natal care, referring cases with complications to health facilities equipped to handle emergency obstetric care. ![]()
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In 2020, UNFPA trained community midwives in villages and remote rural areas and established 170 home clinics by covering the costs of renovation, equipment like ultrasound machines, medicines and reproductive health supplies. A solar suitcase provides lighting, mobile phone charging and electronic fetal monitoring.”![]()
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For providers, be mindful and supportive of pregnant women during this holy month of fasting. And in cases of potential risk to mother or baby based on health conditions, discussing how fasting can be modified. www.qatarliving.com/forum/news/posts/hmc-advises-pregnant-breastfeeding-women-take-precautions-wh...![]()
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www.unfpa.org/news/yemeni-midwives-help-deliver-hope-during-ramadan
Yemeni midwives help deliver hope during Ramadan
www.unfpa.org
SANA'A, Yemen – Often heard throughout the global pandemic is that essential workers cannot work from home. But the world’s worst humanitarian crisis calls for extraordinary measures. In a country...
An important week to listen and learn!![]()
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Numerous virtual webinars and events across the country are highlighting not only the need for change in maternity care systems, but HOW to change with action steps, initiatives to support and advocacy priorities.![]()
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Excited to hear from several organizations and leaders this week. ![]()
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Adding one link among many that offer virtual opportunities this week via the National Birth Equity Collaborative birthequity.org/bmhw2021/![]()
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blackmamasmatter.org/bmhw/#:~:text=Black%20Maternal%20Health%20Week%20takes,all%20racial%20and%20....
Black Maternal Health Week 2021 - NBEC
birthequity.org
As a broad and diverse group of Reproductive Justice advocates and stakeholders who strongly support policies that prioritize the health and well-being of people across the country, we congratulate th...
Researching WHY can take hours — but facts should be shared. Three out of ten, 30% c-section rate! Frustrated by new data released from Leapfrog. ![]()
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Seriously when I taught childbirth education classes in the 70’s we shared with families 1 in 10 as the typical c-section rate - 10%. ![]()
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According to LeapFrog release of new data, Kentucky has the highest c-section rate in the nation. “The Survey results also revealed significant variation by state when examining reporting hospitals’ average NTSV C- section rates. Kentucky has the highest rate of NTSV C-sections at 29.4%, while Wyoming and Utah have the lowest rates, at 18.4%.” If interested in finding LOCAL hospital data look up hospital rates here. ![]()
www.leapfroggroup.org/sites/default/files/Files/2021%20Maternity%20Report_Final_1.pdf![]()
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Not surprisingly, midwives and access to birth centers in Kentucky has been a battle for decades, despite KY being the state where 1/3 of midwives in the US graduate to sit the AMCB certifying exam. newrepublic.com/article/160706/midwives-appalachia-kentucky-maternity-care-desert![]()
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Currently, Kentucky has no birthing centers because they require a “certificate of need” from the state to open. And while it seems that living in a place that’s been designated a “maternal health desert” where the lack of a labor and delivery unit in the local hospital would surely be a certificate of need unto itself, the last nurse-midwife to try and open a birthing center [in 2007] submitted her ‘certificate of need’ application and it was swiftly opposed by the three hospitals nearest to her,”. “It went through five years of legal battles. She essentially spent her life savings then gave up and left the state.” [New Republic article]![]()
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And another state, NY where #GrowMidwives has worked with many midwives considering opening a birth center. ![]()
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“New York has only three birth centers in a state with an average of 200,000 births per year. CON laws hit birth centers particularly hard because unlike the hospital systems they compete with, the centers are small businesses or non-profits, usually run by midwives. The CON process requires upfront costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars and up to two years of meeting regulatory requirements before a birth center can open. Even then, in many states, hospitals are given veto power over birth center applications. Unsurprisingly, hospitals don’t want more competition.” www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/01/10/why-giving-birth-pandemic-riskier-than-should-column/65...![]()
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Other limiting regulations include Medicaid policies that do not cover the cost of care, forcing providers to choose between staying in business and providing services to the 50% of pregnant women who are covered by Medicaid. Other regulations include unnecessary architectural requirements such as gurney-width doors and elevators for low-risk facilities where clients are healthy and mobile. The cost of these regulations, combined with low reimbursement rates, makes the birth center model almost unviable.![]()
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CON laws hit birth centers particularly hard because unlike the hospital systems they compete with, the centers are small businesses or non-profits, usually run by midwives. The CON process requires upfront costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars and up to two years of meeting regulatory requirements before a birth center can open.![]()
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Providing a list of states where Certificate of Need Laws can be used to create barriers to birth centers. www.ncsl.org/research/health/con-certificate-of-need-state-laws.aspx. ![]()
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Despite the past and current battles about midwifery and birth centers — there is hope. State and Federal elected leaders are learning, and slowly, with consumer pressure change is coming. ![]()
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ASK: If you agree that community-based, midwifery-led care is a safe option, and that all families should have the option to choose, like in nearly every other high-income country, it’s time to speak up on behalf of Midwives to allow pregnant Americans access to the low-cost high quality care that could keep them safe now and in the future.![]()
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#GrowMidwives #GrowConsumers #GrowBirthCenters
Attention Midwives — Did you know? I didn’t. ![]()
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Open Payments, a product of CMS, now includes five new provider types in response to statutory changes outlined in the SUPPORT Act. Effective January 1, 2021, reporting entities' data collection includes additional program participants. CNMs were added to the database for reporting, along with other non-physician healthcare providers. ![]()
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Debt Forgiveness is included as one of the reported categories, an employment benefit we are seeing included in more and more contracts. Do you speak on behalf of pharmaceutical products? Have you benefited from pharmacy food and beverage gatherings? Other categories of reporting are noted in the infographic. ![]()
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“Open Payments is a national disclosure program that promotes a more transparent and accountable health care system by making the financial relationships between applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and health care providers (physicians and teaching hospitals) available to the public.” www.cms.gov/OpenPayments![]()
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When searching, the OB/GYN database includes 42,935 physician names. The teaching hospitals category includes 1,335. ![]()
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Be mindful of the Open Payments Program expansion, knowing that in 2021 certain payments or transfers of value made to you by a company that meets the definition of a reporting entity (applicable manufacturer or applicable GPO) will be reportable. If your name appears in a public database, you should know. ![]()
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**Watch the video to learn more**![]()
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#GrowMidwives![]()
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www.cms.gov/OpenPayments/Program-Participants/Newly-Added-Covered-Recipients
Cranky Attitude Alert — ![]()
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How can we expect understanding of the midwifery profession when large corporate insurers that describe the professions certification credentials in the 2021 Coverage Summary (publicly available) define the provider incorrectly?![]()
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How do Midwives have access to organizations to resolve these inaccuracies?![]()
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How can the US certifying entity, the American Midwifery Certification Board #AMCB partner with the professional association #ACNM to distribute clarifying information to demand change, along with educational information on the evidence of value and high-quality care. ACNM is a professional member association, not a certification entity or organization that accredits midwifery education programs. PAST time for clarity in understanding this professional role. ![]()
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It’s 2021 folks — UnitedHealthcare get it right! www.uhcprovider.com/content/dam/provider/docs/public/policies/medadv-coverage-sum/maternity-newbo...![]()
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And also, can someone explain how this 2021 document only references Medicare coverage of maternity care services rather than Medicaid? “Coverage Statement: Maternity care is covered when Medicare criteria are met. Newborn care is not covered. The following services are covered when criteria are met:![]()
a. Skilled medical management throughout the events of pregnancy,...”![]()
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#GrowMidwives #FactsMatter![]()
#ScalingupandSustainingMidwifery”