Florida Homebirth/Midwife Laws

[2much2do]

Hi there,
I had a wonderful homebirth for my DD Allyson this past June. Next year we will be moving to Florida, and I wondered if anyone knows what the laws are in that state. I know homebirth is legal everywhere (how could they stop you????) but I am refering to the availability of midwives, and do they have to be liscenced, under the "watch" of an OB (as they do here in NYS), and what about lay midwives. Any help would be great, thanks

[Chelsea]

Tampa birth

Hi-

My daughter was born in Tampa, at home, 2 years ago. I'm not sure what the laws are exactly, but we had no trouble. My midwife was not supervised by a physician. Insurance paid for about half of her fees. I do know that hospitals, at least in the Tampa area, won't give rights to midwives who do homebirths. I was pleasently surprised to find midwives in the Philly area that do homebirths and have hospital rights (just in case a transfer should become necessary). If you are moving near Tampa and would like contact info for the midwife we used, just let me know, she was wonderful!!

- Chelsea

[Pallas]

I'm in Tallahassee, and thanks to our former He-Coon Governor midwifery is covered by insurance to precisely the same degree that hospital births are -- BY LAW. This includes home birth. Of course, we are now afflicted with another Shrub, so I dont' know how long this happy state of affairs will last.

Now this is not to say that the insurance companies are happy about the law. They sent me numerous nasty-grams about how risky it was to birth outside the hospital, and how they were only covering it because they had to, etc. etc.

[Chelsea]

Originally posted by Pallas
Of course, we are now afflicted with another Shrub, so I dont' know how long this happy state of affairs will last.

Shrub, I like that. Glad we moved before he took over...

Insurance was supposed to pay the same as if I went to any other out of network provider, but they said what the midwife billed was above and beyond customary charges. What a bunch of bull, all of my prenatal, labor, delivery, and post natal, was $3300. It would have been at least triple that if I was in a hospital...

- Chelsea

[2much2do]

Thanks, and a question

Forgive my ignorance, but.....what is a shrub? Who do you mean? Bush? Or the governor? What is Florida like politically anyway?
~Suzanne