National Maternity Care Group, Childbirth Connection, Endorses Health Reform 3200 Bill Will Dramatically Improve Health Of Women And Babies

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 18 Aug 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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Childbirth Connection, a national organization advocating for high quality maternity care for women, babies and families, supports House of Representatives health care reform legislation, America's Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200). The bill addresses many of the problems inherent in the U.S. maternity care system through private insurance system reforms, better access to primary care, and improved access to high-quality, evidence-based maternity care.

"This legislation goes a long way toward achieving Childbirth Connection's eight steps to reform maternity care and ensures that all pregnant women and babies receive high quality, affordable health care, says Maureen Corry, Executive Director, Childbirth Connection. "This bill expands access to primary maternity care that supports a woman's innate capacity for birthing, breastfeeding and attachment, avoids overuse of medical services, and gives priority to prevention and wellness."

H.R. 3200 will improve the health of women and babies by:

- Prohibiting the use of pregnancy as a pre-existing condition by health insurance providers;
- Widening access to certified nurse-midwives by eliminating inequities in how they are reimbursed under Medicare;
- Measuring and reporting publicly the performance of maternity care facilities and providers and using results to improve care;
- Paying for home visits by nurses for families during or after pregnancy by Medicaid;
- Expanding access to primary maternity care by improving Medicaid coverage of freestanding birth centers;
- Providing incentives to maternity care providers under Medicaid to provide care to underserved women and their families.

"With 4.3 million births each year in the U.S., H.R. 3200 is our best bet for realizing rapid gains in the quality, value and cost of maternity care," said Corry.

Childbirth Connection's 8 Steps to Maternity Care Reform is available at http://tinyurl.com/latk5e.

Source
Childbirth Connection

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