pt. Bill of Rights

Here is what to do:

1. Read the sample letter, etc., below.

2. Find a fax or e-mail address for your Senator and for your Representative. Go to: > click on your state, then scroll down to "Congressional Delegation" to find links to websites for each Congressperson, with contact information. Last week we focused on our Senators, NOW IT TIME

TO WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!

3. Write a BRIEF letter TODAY!

***State what you want first, i.e., the change in wording; to be effective, it would be good if we all ask for the same change.

***Even if you are in a state that does not license or recognize direct entry midwives, getting this language included is still important - you and family members may not always live in that state, your state may eventually enact regulatory legislation for these midwives, and nurse-midwifery should also be

a choice under HMOs. ***Include something personal (also brief) about why this is important to you.

***Below is an example of a letter, but be sure to put the main ideas in your own words.

***The important point is that women should have access to midwives (direct entry midwives as well as nurse-midwives) and out-of-hospital birth, and these should be included in ANY federal health care bill.

***Several fact sheets on the Citizens for Midwifery web site

http://www.cfmidwifery.org>> include pertinent information you could use in your letter, but just the fact that nurse-midwives already are legal everywhere and direct entry midwives already are regulated in 18 states is a strong argument for HMOs to include "nationally credentialed and state-regulated

midwives" as a choice for maternity care.

***Your personal item could be first-hand experience, or about a family or friend, or just general principle that this good choice should be included in the bill. Costs and access are important issues related to this bill. Safety is less of an issue as we are talking about already-licensed midwives - i.e.,

those states have already decided the safety issue, which is not really the focus of the Patients' Bill of Rights.

***Legible hand-writing is great for faxed letters; typed letters are fine also.

4. Fax or e-mail the letter to your Representative TODAY or AS SOON AS

POSSIBLE!

5. Also fax or E-mail a copy of your letter to Pam Maurath (fax:

212-866-7626; e-mail: > IMMEDIATELY. She will be going to Washington, DC on this Monday, July 2, and will personally deliver

copies of all of the letters (with a cover letter and additional literature) to appropriate offices. She will also make sure the most important Senators and Representatives receive additional information regarding the change in wording we want.

6. Send to your Congressperson (federal Representative) a copy of the letter that you are sending to your Senator, with a cover note, or write an original letter to your Representative..

Here is an example of a letter:

The Honorable [name of Senator or Representative]

(fax # or address)

Dear Mr. [or Mrs., Ms.] [Name],

[if you know this person is championing this bill, you might start with something like "Thank you for working for consumer protection in health care..."; or whatever is appropriate...]

[who you are, what you are writing about, and what you want done] I am your constituent, and I am writing about the Patients' Bill of Rights, just passed by the Senate and now to be debated in the House. Any version of the bill that comes up for a vote should include language that assures access to midwifery care in all settings. For example, this bill would be improved by

adding the words "or a nationally-certified and state-regulated midwife, as the individual's maternity care provider" to the following section of the bill:

SEC. XX104. ACCESS TO SPECIALTY CARE

(a)(1)(A )the plan or issuer shall permit such an individual who is a female to designate a participating physician who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology as the individual's primary care provider OR A NATIONALLY-CERTIFIED AND STATE-REGULATED MIDWIFE, AS THE INDIVIDUAL'S MATERNITY CARE PROVIDER; and ...

[a factoid or two] Nurse-midwives practice in all 50 states, and 18 states also license certified professional midwives. Midwifery care has been proven over and over to be safe, effective, cost-saving, and satisfying, whether practiced in hospitals, birth centers or at home. HMOs should include midwives as a choice for maternity care, but the current language of the bill does not mention midwives at all.

[a personal angle] Fifteen years ago my husband and I had to pay out-of-pocket to have our baby at home with a nurse-midwife. Even though this midwife-attended birth cost much less than having our baby in the hospital would have cost, our insurance plan would not pay. With all the focus on

reducing the costs of healthcare, surely HMOs should be encouraging women to use midwives in the setting of their choice (in or out of the hospital).

[repeat what you want done] Increasing numbers of pregnant women want the safe, healthy choice of midwifery care, whether in hospital, birth center or at home, and HMOs should make this option available. Please make sure the Patients' Bill of Rights includes language assuring that HMOs must offer the

Midwives Model of Care - the option of choosing a midwife for maternity care.

Sincerely,

[your name]

[your home address, phone number, e-mail, somewhere on the letter, whether

e-mailed or faxed]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grassroots Newsletter:

Susan Hodges - Gatekeeper

Debbie Pulley - Mailer

This was sent to my email as an attached file and I was asked to forward it to as many concerned individuals as possible ASAP!