Minnesota doulas - do you know about current legislation??

[Marisa]

This bill (S.F. 1197) will enable women of color and low incomebwomen to become doulas and to have doulas from their own community. It will also enable all insured women to have insurance payment for all or part of their doula care, and guarantee a woman or couple the right to a doula in all but emergency situations (emergencies are defined in another section of the Patients Bill of Rights, not up to doctors' discretion). This will improve the quality of maternity care and reduce the costs overall.

It is especially important that the state representatives hear from as
many of us as possible before March 23rd, which is the date of the hearing.

If you haven't heard of it - pm me for more details!!
Let me know if you are planning on going to the hearing - we could meet!

[Marisa]

No need to apologize for disagreeing with the bill - thanks for reading it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by applevalleychick I'm very concerned that they would limit this to doula certified with only a few organizations.

I agree that this can be problematic. However, I see why they must *define* who is a doula. Without this limitation of maintaining certification through DONA, CAPPA, ALACE, Birthworks, or CBI, the state would instead have no means of ensuring training and continuing ed. Of course, insurance would not be able to be involved. This actually expands choice for women who are on MA in MN. The insurance providers that reimburse for doula services currently only accept DONA doulas.

Quote:

Also, I am leary of any kind of "regulation" or involving insurance.

I hear you - there are always limitations - just like being certified through DONA, CAPPA, ALACE, etc. I don't always agree with the limitations of my certification, but I feel that I have to be certified to continue to serve women who are on medical assistance (because I can't afford to do it for free). Perhaps this would also expand my choice of certifying body?

While nothing says you *have* to be on the registry - it would be hard not to be if this bill passed. People would have to pay out of pocket, when they could otherwise be reimbursed.

Quote:

I'm always cautious when someone is being told they will have a "right" to anything not in the US Constitution.

They are talking about the Patients' Bill of Rights, which seems to be one of the only things governing what happens inside a hospital. I hear what you are saying - I totally understand your concern, however - there is a serious problem, esp in the Mpls/St Paul hospitals, of nurses/doctors not recognizing that women can make choices surrounding their births. It is their birth, body, baby. The freedom and liberty of women, frankly, is not recognized in hospitals - hopefully this would serve as a reminder. If not the bill, then the doula!

Quote:

What if you miss the birth and the client can now sue saying they had a right to a doula and you didn't provide backup?

Interesting - haven't thought about it. I guess I think a doula should always make a *reasonable attempt* to have back-up. It isn't as if there aren't enough doulas around! But I don't know how that would pan out.

Quote:

this bill was written by liberal Dems and so I was immeadiately suspicious

That's ok - I have those same flags tucked away - ok - mine are probably a different color. I'm pretty sure that this bill was put together by the Childbirth Collective. Too bad they didn't seek out bipartisan support - I bet they could have found it!

PM me your email if you want the emails I have received about this - you could contact the Childbirth Collective with your concerns.

Thanks for thinking through the bill with me, too!

[sldsheppard]

so who would we email? I am not a political type person but will do an
email. I am a little concerned about the gvmt involvement and them
deciding we have to be certified by whom and have insurance etc so not real sure
where I stand on this; money reinbursment is nice without too many strings
attached
Now watch hospitals (rural) ones put doulas on their staff so they can
get all the money possible and still have a bit of "control" in the way
of agendas
I would think the child birth collective would have been a little more farsighted as far as insurance and certification goes but who knows

[Marisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sldsheppard so who would we email?

You can find your legislators by:
going to www.leg.state.mn.us/ and clicking on “Who Represents Me.” In the screen that comes up, type in your address and zip code. The next screen that comes up will show your State Senator and State Representative, along with their contact information. (Be sure to choose your Minnesota representatives and not national.) You can email them both at once.

Quote:

money reinbursment is nice without too many strings attached

It seems that the strings are determined by the certifying bodies, not the state. As I said above, this actually expands my options, personally, since I am currently attending births of women who are on MA, and being paid by ins - but they require that I am a DONA certified doula. However, I totally understand what you are saying, and I too am wary of limitations put in place by the state and insurance companies.

Quote:

Now watch hospitals (rural) ones put doulas on their staff so they can get all the money possible and still have a bit of "control" in the way of agendas

I don't think this will necessarily be the case. While hospitals may in fact put doula programs in place, there is always the option for women to hire their own doula. And if this bill is actually passed, this will allow those who would not otherwise be able to afford a doula, choose and hire their own doula, RATHER than use the hospital provided doula. There are several hospitals in the metro area that have doula programs, and I think this is a limitation of these programs.

Quote:

I would think the child birth collective would have been a little more farsighted as far as insurance and certification goes

What specific changes would you like to see?

I wonder what fee insurance companies and MA would actually pay doulas?
I'm sure it wouldn't be a step back from where I am right now , but for doulas who have been around forever, it might limit what they can charge...

[Marisa]

How do you guys feel about the MA part?

I think that is the part that actually has a chance of getting through...