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Midwives Celebrate Equitable Reimbursement

Thanks to years of member and consumer advocacy, CNMs have achieved equitable reimbursement for their services under Medicare! This long-awaited provision is part of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.

Section 3114 of the legislation, "Improved Access for Certified Nurse-Midwife Services," ensures that CNMs will be reimbursed 100% for Part B services under Medicare effective January 1, 2011—a significant increase over the current 65% reimbursement rate. Since many Medicaid programs and private insurers follow Medicare reimbursement rates, this provision could trigger a ripple effect of improved reimbursement for midwifery services.

Several other provisions in H.R.3590 are of importance to ACNM, but the fight for equitable reimbursement has been ACNM's top federal legislative priority for nearly two decades. Click here to read about other key provisions of H.R.3590 related to women's health, maternity care, and midwifery. ACNM will continue working with Congress and the Obama administration to gain Medicare recognition for CMs, ensure full recognition of CNMs and CMs as primary care providers under all state and federal programs, and develop practical alternatives to the current medical malpractice system.

Click here to read the March 23, 2010, ACNM News Release about H.R.3590.

Help ACNM Celebrate Your Contributions to this Victory

This historic achievement was made possible by countless hours of education and advocacy by hundreds of midwives and their supporters over many years, mobilized by the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and the Political and Economic Affairs Committee (PEAC) before GAC, and working alongside the ACNM Government Relations team. If you have been involved in gaining support for equitable reimbursement for CNMs at any point in time, by contacting your congressman, visiting Capitol Hill, or working to mobilize support, help us thank and celebrate you by sending your name, picture, and a sentence or two about your involvement to pr@acnm.org.

Understanding The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Below are resources that will aid you in understandingThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R.3590)and its impact on midwives and the women you serve.

• ACNM News Release
• Key Provisions of H.R.3590 for Midwives
• Section-by-Section Summary of H.R.3590
• Complete Legislative Text of H.R.3590
• Announcements from other women's health groups and advocates
  • American Nurses Association:House Passes Historic Health Reform Bill
  • American Association of Birth Centers:Guaranteed Medicaid Payment for Birth Centers Signed Into Law Today by President Obama
  • Childbirth Connection:A Giant Step for Women, Babies, and Families!
  • National Osteoporosis Foundation:New Health Care Reform Improves Access to Osteoporosis Testing
  • Representative Carolyn B. Maloney:Maloney women’s health provisions included in health care reform package
  • Senator Robert Menendez:Major Initiative to Combat Postpartum Depression to be Signed into Law as Part of Health Insurance Reform