cgekas@vpirg.org
Montpelier, VT – Surrounded by a happy group of moms, kids and public health advocates, Gov. Peter Shumlin today signed into law a requirement that insurance companies cover midwifery care, including home births. The legislation will make it possible for more women and families to choose safe and less costly home birth options when their pregnancies are considered to be low-risk.
“It’s not often that we can celebrate legislation that provides benefits to Vermonters at their very first breath, but this new law really does do that,” said Cassandra Gekas, VPIRG’s Health Care Advocate.
“Gov. Shumlin’s signature on this legislation marks the biggest achievement for supporters of home birth and midwifery care in Vermont ten years,” Gekas added. “It may be just a little late for Mother’s Day, but it’s a great gift for expectant mothers who, in consultation with their medical providers, will now have the freedom to choose where they want to give birth, without interference from insurance companies.”
Much has been made this year of the fact that Vermont’s health care system is broken and unaffordable over time. Gov. Shumlin has made it his priority to put the state on a path to finally control costs, cover everyone, and make sure that health care providers are paid fairly for their services. S.15, the midwifery legislation, is considered a common sense solution that meets all of these goals this year.
“We applaud the Governor and legislative leaders for taking this step forward and recognizing how important it is to thousands of families across the state,” said Gekas.
The new law ensures that families who are paying their monthly insurance premiums, co-pays, and deductibles can choose their birth setting without facing additional financial hardship – all while saving the state money. The cost of maternity care has risen sharply over the past 20 years, with an increasing reliance on medical intervention and cesarean sections, even for healthy mothers in low-risk pregnancies.
Vermont has the highest rate of home births in the country at three percent. Ninety-seven percent of newborns take their first breath in a hospital in Vermont.
According to Laura Peer, Executive Director of the Vermont Birth Network, “We need to remember that pregnancy is not an illness and 84 percent of births are considered low risk.”
If Vermont’s home birth rate were to triple, it could result in health care savings of over $4 million a year according to Gekas. “That’s real money and potentially big savings for our small state,” she added.
According to BISHCA’s 2009 hospital pricing report, the average cost of a hospital birth in Vermont is $6720, while the average at-home birth costs just $2200. It is important to note that $6720 refers to hospital charges only – it does not include physician charges, pre-natal/post-natal care, or the cost of common interventions like epidurals or c-sections. In contrast, the average home birth fee includes all pre-natal and post-natal care in addition to labor and delivery, so it is likely that we are significantly underestimating potential cost savings to the state.
“Fundamentally, S.15 is about a mother’s choice to give birth in a place where she feels safe, supported and empowered. It means family members can focus the joy of new life, without breaking the bank. And for Vermont, its passage marks a small, but critical step forward in controlling health care costs and making coverage more affordable for everyone,” concluded Gekas.
Source http://vtdigger.org/
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