Medicaid, midwives - Michigan - HELP PLEASE!

[La Sombra]

I am pregnant but I have Medicaid. My dd was born at the Birth Center with Bridget and Linda and was the best experience. I am so so so sad thinking that I might have to have a hospital birth (even with midwives at, say, UM or Providence) because Medicaid will NOT cover direct-entry midwives.

So I'm wondering--somewhat desperately since I think I already know the answer --if anyone knows whether there are any CNMs that do home births and accept Medicaid? Any information or suggestions welcome!!!

TIA!!!

[mrstorres2005]

I delivered my daughter with Bridgett and have medicaid as well. I could not find another midwife that did homebirths and took medicaid...so I will be paying out of pocket again this time.

[mothercat]

Hard combination to find CNMs in Michigan that do home birth, one for sure that I know of (PM me if you want more info)

Medicaid does cover CNMs but only for prenatal and postpartum stuff, not the birth. If you are in a county that requires you to choose an HMO, Health Plan of Michigan has been willing to work with the CNMs but they have to follow Medicaid rules for what they can reimburse. This means that the pregnant woman usually has to pay at least part of the costs.

I know you would like a home birth, but have you considered the CNMs at Hutzel? They have worked very hard to get waterbirth as an option and yes, they do do water births, not just water for labor.

As a small hijack of this thread: this is why we should be working on legislation recognizing CPMs as licensed providers in this state and then supporting federal legislation that includes them as reimbursable by Medicaid and Medicare. I know not every midwife is a CNM or CPM but if we take the above actions it does open up a lot more options for the women in Michigan.

[ldsmom06]

Linda Johnson might take medicaid and she is AWSOME!!! I wasn't able to use her because we found out my dd had birth defects but next time she is the midwife i will be using if we still are living in MI. BTW she is mothercat on here

[mothercat]

ldsmom06: yes, I do have a MCD provider #, but I am not sure I'm the midwife she's looking for and just wanted to put the info out there about MCD and midwives.

There seems to be a persistent rumor that CNMs in MI don't do home births and if they do they don't take MCD. Not true on both counts, but the numbers are very limited.

[Defenestrator]

Originally Posted by mothercat

As a small hijack of this thread: this is why we should be working on legislation recognizing CPMs as licensed providers in this state and then supporting federal legislation that includes them as reimbursable by Medicaid and Medicare. I know not every midwife is a CNM or CPM but if we take the above actions it does open up a lot more options for the women in Michigan.

Thanks for this! I, for one, would kill to be able to take medicaid. It kills me whenever I have to send someone away and there just aren't enough CNMs like you out there to send people to -- could you possibly duplicate yourself and put a couple of extra copies sprinkled around southeast Michigan?

There are people working on legislation for this. For more information, consider checking out the Friends of Michigan Midwives

[La Sombra]

Originally Posted by Defenestrator

Thanks for this! I, for one, would kill to be able to take medicaid. It kills me whenever I have to send someone away and there just aren't enough CNMs like you out there to send people to -- could you possibly duplicate yourself and put a couple of extra copies sprinkled around southeast Michigan?

There are people working on legislation for this. For more information, consider checking out the Friends of Michigan Midwives

Yes, thank you for this reminder: the fact is that I know it's not that direct-entry midwives won't accept Medicaid but that *Medicaid* won't reimburse *them.*

I myself will certainly check out the friendsofmichiganmidwives!

[mothercat]

Originally Posted by Defenestrator

Thanks for this! I, for one, would kill to be able to take medicaid. It kills me whenever I have to send someone away and there just aren't enough CNMs like you out there to send people to -- could you possibly duplicate yourself and put a couple of extra copies sprinkled around southeast Michigan?

Thanks Stacia,
I don't know about duplicating myself, but I do have a new CNM grad who is doing a few births with me while she gains some OOH experience. Hopefully w/i a year or two she will also be doing OOH births and accepting MCD.

La Sombra: I hope your search is going well and you are finding your answers.

[Heather Sabbagh]

Did you ever find a midwife to take medicaid or that takes the hmo plan??? I am currently covered by BCBS (don't know the specific network, but it's through Ford Motor Co.) and I'm only covered until I'm 26 (which is Feb. 12) and I am hoping to be pregnant soon, but if I'm pregnant before my age limit, will they continue to cover me until the birth? does anyone know? I am trying for a home water birth! Please lmk!

[parrishbabymama]

Medicaid covers midwives, but not home births or birthing center births.  I have medicaid currently, and am seeing a hutzel midwife and will deliver there.  As long as you have a normal complication free pregnancy you get to deliver in the birthing center at hutzel (it's on a seperate floor), so it gives you the feeling of a birthing center but in a hospital that medicaid will cover the birth.  I'm planning a water birth.  Uof M just reopened and I've heard that their mw program is excellent as well.

If you are insistant that you have a home birth, if you find a mw that accepts medicaid, then you will get your prenatal appointments covered, but will have to pay out of pocket for homebirth cost.  I don't know what hmo program you chose to use (I chose McClaren because of their lists of ob's and mw options), but they will have a list of pre-approved mw's.  Call them and get a list.  Good luck!

[dangerbunny]

I am on Medicaid and have been seeing the U of M nurse midwives, I plan on giving birth at the U of M birthing center, I would prefer a homebirth but really like my mw.