Since my recent visit to the Bay Area, where I heard more than a couple folks refer to midwifery care being available only to "rich hippies," my brain has been swirling around the idea of needing to do more birth activism - not only specifically engaging in the fight for universal legality and licensure of midwifery (as it is now, it is legal/licenced in some states, alegal/unlicenced in others and in some, outright illegal), but also fighting for the midwifery model of care to be paid for by Medicaid - so all women can have true freedom of choice in their care regardless of where they live or what their insurance/lack thereof status is.
What do you think about that? I am interested in finding out if there is already an organization dedicated to this work so I can join them.
8 comments:
even in Santa Cruz - medicaid doesn't pay for (lay) midwives! I actually haven't heard of a story of any one ever having a midwife with medicaid, the fact it doesn't pay for it is one big reason many choose for birthing centers, or a midwife in a hospital or midwife friendly hospital.
-china
hell yes.
it's something that i have been struggling with for a long time. i wrote a blog taht talks about it called "healing community:" http://goddessofstrife.blogspot.com/2008/02/healing-community.html
but the thing is that i hate medicaid. i hate the system. i wish we could create a loving, healing community of healthcare working thru consensus-based decision making, using a slinding scale system for fees.
anyway blah blah blah. just my two cents.
oh! and i was just thinking...
education is the key!
Damn, I didn't realize how spoiled we are in Florida. I had the best midwife anyone could ask for (Jessica, you know who I'm talking about) and every single thing was covered by Medicaid. I'm really surprised California doesn't have the same setup. If you find out about an already-existing organization addressing this issue, post it here for us all to see please!
(And I'm a little late to the party here, but many many congratulations on your book.)
-Monica in Gville
I live in San Francisco, and SF General Hospital has midwives, all paid for by MediCal. So not a midwife at a birthing center, but still a midwife, and mine is amazing!
Living and practicing midwifery in Florida, I am aware of both the pros and cons of being lisenced and accepting insurance (medicaid).
There is a large majority of women who financially should qualify for medicaid, but for other reasons ( immagration status for example)do not qualify. As a birth and women's health activist, i believe all women should have the right to choose where and with who she gives birth. And to ktj you can create a loving, healing community of healthcare working thru consensus-based decision making, using a slinding scale system for fees. That is what we do at our center. SFLWHC.org
In Florida if a woman has not been a leagal resident for 5 yrs., she does not qualify for medicaid (even if she is pregnant). So, unless she pays out of pocket or presents herself at an emergancy room, she is not reciving any prenatal care.
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