Legislative Updates

Time to Celebrate! Passage of HB1923 & Medicaid Budget Amendment

Governor Youngkin, on the last day of legislative action, SIGNED HB 1923 and a budget that INCLUDES MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT PARITY FOR ALL MIDWIVES! Virginia becomes the first state in the nation to recognize autonomous midwifery practice and reimbursement at 100% of fee schedule for all nationally certified midwives! THANK YOU for your voice, time, and energy advocating this season.

This also means we have again succeeded in 100% bill passage! All 4 of our sponsored or supported bills were signed. These initiatives include:

Licensing for CMs equal to CNMs, including ability to enter into consultation agreements with midwives or physicians for the first 1000 hours
Update to regulations defining organized medical staff to include CNMs and LCMs
100% fee schedule reimbursement for services from private insurance AND Medicaid for LCMs and LMs (already exists for CNMs)
update to regulations expanding medical staff privileges for general level newborn nursery services to include CNM, LCM, and NP with pediatric privileges.

All bills have enactment clauses of July 1.

We want to thank @Brittany Whitley and Becky Bowers-Lanier, our fearless advocacy leaders, without whom this would not be possible!

Virginia midwives have come far in the 17 years since our initial licensure bill was passed. Our law in Virginia is, in our opinion, the best midwifery law in the United States. Our licensure law allows us to legally practice autonomously and with evidence-based informed consent, but it prohibited us from using the medications that make community birth safer. With the removal of the prohibition against the use of medications within our scope of practice, and now with pay parity for all licensed midwives, our law is a model for other states.