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H 8174Medical Services

Human Services - Medical Assistance

This bill requires Rhode Island Medicaid to cover and reimburse services provided by licensed Certified Professional Midwives.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation mandates that the Rhode Island Medicaid program provide coverage for services rendered by Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). It defines a CPM as a trained professional certified by the North American Registry of Midwives and licensed by the state. The bill requires that these services be reimbursed at rates comparable to other maternity care providers and prohibits imposing requirements for physician supervision unless such requirements apply to other providers for the same service. Additionally, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services must track and report data on the utilization of these services starting in 2028.

For younger readers

This law helps moms who use government health insurance (Medicaid) when they are having a baby. It says the insurance must pay for "midwives" to help them. A midwife is a trained professional who helps women give birth, often at home or in a birth center, rather than a doctor in a hospital. This law makes sure these midwives get paid fairly for their work, just like doctors do. It gives families more choices on who helps them when a new baby is born.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Medicaid RecipientsCertified Professional MidwivesExecutive Office of Health and Human ServicesTaxpayersMaternity Care Physicians
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Expands healthcare equity by ensuring low-income individuals on Medicaid have access to the same diverse birthing options, such as midwifery, that are often available to those with private insurance.
  • Promotes reproductive justice and bodily autonomy by financially supporting the choice to utilize a Certified Professional Midwife rather than forcing patients into a traditional hospital-based medical model.
  • Establishes fair labor practices within the healthcare sector by mandating that midwives receive reimbursement comparable to other maternity care providers for similar services.
  • May raise concerns regarding patient safety, as high-risk pregnancies within the Medicaid population might benefit more from the resources and emergency infrastructure available in hospital settings rather than home births.
  • Could potentially divert limited public healthcare funds away from established community health centers and hospital safety nets if the overall Medicaid budget is not increased to accommodate new providers.
  • The removal of physician supervision requirements might be viewed by some advocates as weakening the integrated care network necessary for handling sudden medical emergencies during childbirth.
For Conservatives
  • Promotes free-market competition in the healthcare industry by allowing midwives to compete directly with doctors and hospitals, which could potentially drive down the overall cost of childbirth.
  • Reduces regulatory burdens by explicitly prohibiting requirements for physician supervision or referrals, allowing professionals to practice independently within their scope.
  • Supports individual liberty and parental rights by giving families the freedom to choose alternative birth settings and providers without financial penalization by the state insurance system.
  • Expands the scope and cost of the state Medicaid program, potentially increasing the financial burden on taxpayers to fund services that were previously not covered.
  • Undermines traditional medical hierarchies by removing physician oversight, which could be viewed as devaluing the rigorous training of medical doctors in favor of less intensively trained practitioners.
  • Increases government bureaucracy by requiring the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create new rules, credentialing systems, and data collection mandates.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 24 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 40-8 of the General Laws entitled "Medical Assistance" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 40-8-33. Certified professional midwife -- Medicaid coverage.

(a) As used in this section, "certified professional midwife" or "CPM" means a trained professional who has successfully completed an accredited educational program in midwifery, holds a current certification as a certified professional midwife by the North American registry of midwives (NARM), and is licensed to practice midwifery in accordance with § 23-13-9.

(b) The executive office of health and human services ("EOHHS") shall provide coverage under the Medicaid program for services provided by a licensed certified professional midwife, when such services are within the certified professional midwife’s lawful scope of practice and are otherwise eligible for coverage under the Medicaid state plan or a waiver approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

(c) Reimbursement for services provided by a licensed certified professional midwife shall be made in accordance with Medicaid reimbursement principles and methodologies applicable to other maternity care providers for comparable services. No requirement for physician supervision, signature, or referral shall be imposed unless such requirement is imposed on other providers for the same service.

(d) The EOHHS shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this section, including credentialing and enrollment requirements for certified professional midwives participating as Medicaid providers.

(e) On or before July 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the EOHHS shall collect and maintain data on utilization and expenditures related to services provided by certified professional midwives to Medicaid beneficiaries.

(f) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, unless otherwise specified, the provisions of this section shall supersede and shall control over any conflicting or inconsistent laws, including general laws, special laws, or local laws, or any rule or regulation of the state.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.