Legislative Alert re: Birth Centers

From the American Association of Birth Centers:

Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act

Introduced in the Senate - S.1423

This has been a very busy week week in Washington, DC! In the Senate, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Mark Begich (D-AK) introduced S.1423 the Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act to ensure Medicaid birth center facility fee payments to states. In the House, the health care reform bill H.R. 3200 "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" was introduced. This bill includes the birth center bill language but it does not guarantee that all state Medicaid plans will cover the facility fee. It is CRITICAL that we have strong co-sponsorship for our bills in the House and the Senate. This means that we need YOU and your colleagues, family members, clients and friends to contact your federal Senators and Representatives RIGHT AWAY.

IMPERATIVE ACTIONS Continue to work in the House and the Senate to secure co-sponsors for our bills (H.R. 2358 and S.1423). 1) Call your U.S. Senators and Representatives. Click here for directions on how to contact your Representatives and Senators and what to say. After you have made your calls, please call or email AABC's lobbyist Karen Fennell and tell her who you talked with and any comments or additional information requested. Call Karen at 301-830-3910; Send email here. This report to Karen is important so that she can follow-up. 2) Invite your Senators and Representatives to an Open House at your birth center during the August recess (the entire month of August). Invite the media and your clients to come. This is a win-win. The legislators and the birth center will receive positive press. We will develop an "Open House" packet and post it online in a few days for you to adapt for your community. 3) Attend the town hall meetings on health care reform that are being held across the country and make your voice heard at those meetings. We MUST be prepared with strong co-sponsorship to move our legislation.

Who is already a co-sponsor? House Bill H.R. 2358 Sponsor: Susan Davis (CA) Co-Sponsors: Gus Bilirakis (FL), Lois Capps (CA), Robert Whittman (VA), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Sander Levin (MI), Diana DeGette (CO), Eric Massa (NY), and Janice Schakowsky (IL) Senate Bill S.1423 Sponsor: Barbara Boxer (CA) Co-Sponsor: Mark Begich (AK)

We need EVERYONE to take action and ensure that our bill is passed as soon as possible! Sincerely,

Jill Alliman, CNM, MSN Chair, Legislative Committee American Association of Birth Centers