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S 2669Medical Services

Human Services - Medical Assistance

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

Introduced
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee Senate Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation mandates that the Rhode Island Medicaid program provide coverage for services rendered by licensed Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). It defines a CPM as a professional certified by the North American Registry of Midwives and licensed by the state. The bill stipulates that reimbursement for these services must be comparable to other maternity care providers and prohibits imposing unique supervision requirements on CPMs that are not applied to other providers. Additionally, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services is required to track utilization data for these services starting in 2028.

For younger readers

This new law helps moms and babies who use government health insurance called Medicaid. It says that Medicaid must pay for "Certified Professional Midwives" to help women when they are having a baby. A midwife is someone specially trained to help with birth, often at home or in a birthing center, instead of 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 bring their baby into the world without worrying about the cost.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Pregnant women on MedicaidCertified Professional Midwives (CPMs)Low-income familiesExecutive Office of Health and Human ServicesTaxpayers
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 midwifery and home-birth options often reserved for wealthier patients who can pay out-of-pocket.
  • Promotes reproductive justice and bodily autonomy by empowering pregnant individuals to choose the birth setting and provider type that aligns with their personal values and cultural needs.
  • Supports a holistic model of care that often results in lower rates of medical interventions, potentially improving maternal health outcomes within marginalized communities.
  • Raises potential safety concerns regarding the integration of care, as Certified Professional Midwives generally do not have nursing degrees or hospital privileges, which could complicate transfers in emergencies.
  • Could be viewed as diverting limited public health funds away from the established hospital-based safety net system toward private practitioners operating outside traditional clinical settings.
  • May lead to fragmented care for high-risk pregnancies if the regulatory framework does not ensure robust communication and collaboration between CPMs and obstetricians.
For Conservatives
  • Enhances individual liberty and medical freedom by removing government-imposed financial barriers to choosing alternative, non-hospital childbirth options.
  • Promotes free-market competition in the healthcare sector by breaking the monopoly that doctors and hospitals hold over Medicaid maternity reimbursements.
  • Potentially reduces taxpayer burden in the long run, as midwifery care is generally less expensive than hospital births and involves fewer costly medical interventions.
  • Expands the welfare state by adding a new category of service providers to the government payroll through the Medicaid system.
  • Legitimizes medical practitioners who are not doctors or nurses, potentially eroding professional standards and patient safety protocols in the name of expanded coverage.
  • Increases government bureaucracy by requiring the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create new regulations, credentialing processes, and data tracking systems.

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.