Status of Birth Center legislation

[Gayle Riedmann]

Dear Birth Center Supporters,

I suspect you have been wondering what is the progress of the Birth
Center Rules, as it has been almost 2 years since the legislation
passed, allowing for the establishment of birth centers in Illinois.

I had been warned that "passing the bill" was the small stuff
(hahahaha), only the first hurdle in the establishment of birth
centers in Illinois. Well, 2 years later, I understand.

In the writing of the Rules, we have come across an obstacle that will
necessitate an amendment to the legislation to circumvent the "48 hour
postpartum stay" mandated by Illinois law in the Drive-Thru Delivery
Act passed several years ago. The problem arises when defining the
architechural requirments for a birth center... as the law is
currently written it is considered an "overnight stay facility" and
therefore has many, many physical plant requirements (such as dietary
and utility). We have to amend the law to make a birth center an
outpatient facility, with a maximum stay of 23 hours 59 minutes. If a
patient needs or desires a longer stay (as written in Illinois law),
the patient would transfer to the hospital for the longer stay.

So... please stand by. I will let you know when the rules are posted
for public comment. And will let you know if there are any
recommended comments!

In addition, please be aware that birth centers arcross the nation are
currently being jeopordized by the recent Texas ruling that supported
Medicaid's decision to NOT pay birth center facility fees. This
decision has been disasterous for birth centers across the nation, and
would greatly affect the efforts for birth centers in Illinois!

A bill will be introduced this month in Washington to put language
into the Medicaid law that Birth Center's with licensed birth
attendants (midwives/doctors) must be reimbursed. Medicaid has been
paying in most states, but recently determined it doesn't say they
should in the law, and stopped in Texas and 3 other states. It needs
to change to support the option of choosing a birth center for place
of birth.
Please sign the petition to support the national legislative effort
by following the link below. And join the FaceBook cause!!!

http://www.birthcenters.org/news/breaking-news/?id=82

OR,
go straight to the signature page by clicking this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XGO2ZxaqKojCOGBg_2fBVxWg_3d_3d"


Sincerely,

Gayle

Gayle Riedmann, CNM
Chair, Illinois Birth center Task Force
Health and Medicine Policy Research Group
www.hmprg.org

West Suburban Midwife Associates, Ltd
715 Lake Street Suite 273 Oak Park, IL 60301
ph: 708-848-3800 fax: 708-848-0008
www.westsubmidwives.com