The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS, a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA

If Normal Birth Isn't a Medical Event, Why Should It Be Covered By Health Insurance?

I am wondering how the "midwifery isn't the practice of medicine" can be reconciled with "I want my HEALTH insurance to pay for this"

It's not necessarily that midwifery that isn't the practice of medicine, it's that the normal pregnancy/birth itself isn't medical. The medical establishment seeks to medicalize ALL births because a few with complications might force medical intervention. No matter how remote the possibility, they just can't keep their greedy little hands off!

For me it's just this simple: My health insurance already covers pre-natal, delivery, post-natal services. If they are going to cover an OB, they should also cover a legally practicing midwife.

My dh's company is also self-insured. I escalated from benefits team leader to director of benefits. When I refused to

1. let them treat my request for midwife coverage as an additional "benefit"
2. let them question homebirth safety
3. let them say they were following state guidelines for payment (there are none and other employers in this area do cover her services)
4. go away after they said they would consider my request when they set up next year's benefit guidelines (I told them I -- and other employees --expected to become a part of those discussions)

Yes, I am quite willing to pay out-of-pocket. And WILL, if I have to. But I will still continue to fight for the coverage I'm PAYING FOR every time our medical insurance premium is withheld from my dh's paycheck!