UPDATE: June 20, 2024
Dear Women's Rights Advocates,
Thank you all for your advocacy! The House just passed all three amendments that we supported (8,9 and 15) and did not pass for the one we opposed (20). This is a terrific outcome. The maternal healthcare bill will now go to the Senate as amended.
I will send out an advocacy request closer to the time the Senate will take up this bill.
Stay tuned and thank you again!
Jan Soma
LWV Massachusetts Legislative Specialist for Women's Issues
Hello Women's Rights Advocates!
The House is voting on a bill tomorrow, Thursday (June 20), that advances women's health policy. Birthing parents have been dying and suffering unnecessary long-term health consequences in Massachusetts. The number of birthing people affected by these major health problems is increasing. Black pregnant people die at least twice as often as their white counterparts.
Today we have a chance to tell our Representatives how we would like to vote on legislation addressing these problems!
Email Your Representative Today
Here is a template created by the Bay State Birthing Coalition (personalize your message if you have time):
To: Your Representative's email address (https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator)
Subject: Urging support for maternal health bill H.4773 and amendments 8,9 and 15
Suggested message:
Dear Rep. ______,
As your constituent, I am writing to share my excitement and support for the House maternal health bill H.4773 up for a vote this Thursday! This is a powerful multi-faceted approach to addressing our urgent maternal health crisis and racial inequities. H.4773, An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options, incorporates evidence-based solutions, including those that integrate midwives and birth centers into our healthcare system.
Please cosponsor and support amendments #8, 9, and 15 to ensure health equity and strengthen midwifery and birth center provisions in H.4773.
In addition, please oppose amendment #20, which would introduce severe restrictions on individual birthing choice and impose blanket fixed prohibitions instead of allowing regulations to follow current, evidence-based best practices for maternal care.
Thank you for taking this important step forward for maternal health care in Massachusetts! This legislation will meaningfully improve birth options and health equity for families across the state.
Thank you,
(Your name and full address so your Rep. knows that you are a constituent)
Thank you for your advocacy!
Jan Soma
LWV MA Legislative Specialist for Women's Issues
P.S. Here is more information about the amendments if you want to dive a little deeper!
Amendment #9 Low-risk Pregnancy Definition filed by Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley -- This aims to push back against new language in the bill that introduced overly broad restrictions on who would be eligible for CPM care. Risk assessment is personalized and nuanced and clinical guidelines should be in regulation, rather than statute, so they can follow current evidence. (Other providers do not have such restrictions in statute, but rather practice the scope of their profession in accordance with the board's regulations and professional ethics and guidelines.) The effect of this bill would disproportionately harm BIPOC birthing people, undercutting the goal of the omnibus.
Amendment #15 Promoting Equitable Birth Center Leadership filed by Rep. Manny Cruz -- This aims to undo new language in the birth center regulations part of the omnibus which had omitted licensed CPMs from being able to serve as clinical director (limiting the role to physicians and CNMs). Evidence is clear that CPMs have equivalent outcomes to CNMs in birth centers, and CPMs run all 4 of the birth centers in New Hampshire. Birth centers such as Neighborhood Birth Center have been pushing hard to allow CPMs to serve as clinical director. This amendment adds them back in.
Amendment #8 Equitable Reimbursement for Certified Nurse Midwives filed by Brandy Fluker Oakley -- This introduces a pared-down version of the reimbursement parity bill (just Medicaid, not private insurers) which had not been included in the House's version of the maternal health omnibus bill.
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