I just got this email from my midwife (who gave permission to share)
With help from many midwives and lots of vocal midwifery supporters, MAWS has successfully fought off two significant threats during this legislative session. Both the Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) through which licensed midwives in Washington State obtain liability insurance, and the Midwifery Advisory Committee (MAC), a legislatively mandated entity that advises the Department of Health about regulatory matters related to midwifery, were slated for elimination. Neither SB 5588 nor HB 2151 made it out of their respective committees, however, so it looks as though both the JUA and the MAC are safe for now.
However, we are still seeking a budget proviso that would cap the midwifery licensing fee at the current $450 level for the upcoming 2009-2011 biennium. Without this budget proviso, the midwifery licensing fee will increase to $1,500 - $2,000/year beginning in July, putting numerous midwifery practices out of business.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS NOW AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT OUR BUDGET PROVISO! To find out who your legislators are and obtain their contact information, go to: this page on the WA.gov web site where you can "find your district" and look up "legislator information" (see the tabs at the top) .
In addition, the following key members need to hear from us right away (name is linked to email), so it would be helpful if you could contact them as well:
Rep. Eric Pettigrew, Chair - Health and Human Services, Appropriations Subcommittee
Rep. Kelli Linville, Chair - House Ways and Means Committee
Sen. Rodney Tom, Vice-Chair - Senate Ways and Means Committee, Operating Budget
Sen. Margarita Prentice, Chair - Senate Ways and Means Committee
Let them know that:
* Preserving licensed midwifery and the option of giving birth at home and in free-standing birth centers matters to you!
* The State directly benefits from licensed midwifery care. Recent data from DSHS indicates a savings of $3.1 million per biennium in cost-offsets to Medicaid when low-risk women give birth with licensed midwives instead of in the hospital
* The budget proviso would maintain the $450 cap on the midwifery licensing fee that the legislature has approved for the past 3 years. Not only will this enable midwives to stay in practice, it will help grow the profession of midwifery and ensure that more women can have access to this kind of safe, satisfying, and cost-effective maternity care
With help from many midwives and lots of vocal midwifery supporters, MAWS has successfully fought off two significant threats during this legislative session. Both the Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) through which licensed midwives in Washington State obtain liability insurance, and the Midwifery Advisory Committee (MAC), a legislatively mandated entity that advises the Department of Health about regulatory matters related to midwifery, were slated for elimination. Neither SB 5588 nor HB 2151 made it out of their respective committees, however, so it looks as though both the JUA and the MAC are safe for now.
However, we are still seeking a budget proviso that would cap the midwifery licensing fee at the current $450 level for the upcoming 2009-2011 biennium. Without this budget proviso, the midwifery licensing fee will increase to $1,500 - $2,000/year beginning in July, putting numerous midwifery practices out of business.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS NOW AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT OUR BUDGET PROVISO! To find out who your legislators are and obtain their contact information, go to: this page on the WA.gov web site where you can "find your district" and look up "legislator information" (see the tabs at the top) .
In addition, the following key members need to hear from us right away (name is linked to email), so it would be helpful if you could contact them as well:
Rep. Eric Pettigrew, Chair - Health and Human Services, Appropriations Subcommittee
Rep. Kelli Linville, Chair - House Ways and Means Committee
Sen. Rodney Tom, Vice-Chair - Senate Ways and Means Committee, Operating Budget
Sen. Margarita Prentice, Chair - Senate Ways and Means Committee
Let them know that:
* Preserving licensed midwifery and the option of giving birth at home and in free-standing birth centers matters to you!
* The State directly benefits from licensed midwifery care. Recent data from DSHS indicates a savings of $3.1 million per biennium in cost-offsets to Medicaid when low-risk women give birth with licensed midwives instead of in the hospital
* The budget proviso would maintain the $450 cap on the midwifery licensing fee that the legislature has approved for the past 3 years. Not only will this enable midwives to stay in practice, it will help grow the profession of midwifery and ensure that more women can have access to this kind of safe, satisfying, and cost-effective maternity care
