Comments on Joint Commission Perinatal Care Certification Program
2. Selected State
Legislative Developments from Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Washington
1. CQMC
Submits Comments on Joint Commission Perinatal Care Certification Program
On March 26, the Coalition
for Quality Maternity Care (CQMC), led by ACNM, submitted comments
in response to a proposal
from The Joint Commission for a Perinatal Care Certification Program. The
Joint Commission is the body that accredits approximately 82 percent of the
hospitals in the country. The proposed certification is meant to provide
an independent evaluation of an organization's prenatal, intrapartum, and
postpartum care services, while more fully addressing all stages of this
specialty service.
The CQMC's comments were
largely focused on ensuring that certified programs were able not only to
address complications as they arise, but to foster normal physiologic birth as
a matter of course. The comments emphasized the need to follow an
evidence based approach, to adequately inform and educate patients and to fully
involve all staff, not simply physicians, in the development and operation of
the program.
2. Selected State
Legislative Developments
Colorado H.1117 concerns the creation of the Colorado
Premature Birth Commission. The aim of the Commission is to reduce the
incidence of premature births in Colorado. Preventive strategies would include
identifying and strengthening existing comprehensive evidence-based approaches
while at the same time considering new and promising approaches to prevent
premature birth. The bill has passed both chambers as of March 19.
Florida H.7071 would implement the advanced practice
registered nurse (APRN) credential and establish a pathway for independent APRN
practice, among other things. The bill was introduced on March 4.
Georgia S.273 would require the Department of
Public Health to establish the Maternal Mortality Review Committee to review
maternal deaths, among other things. The bill became eligible for the
Governor's consideration on March 5.
Iowa S.2120 authorizes the use of the
professional title and the abbreviation A.R.N.P. by Advanced Registered Nurse
Practitioners. The bill became eligible for the Governor's consideration on
March 20.
Kansas H.2516 would add CNMs to the Health Care
Stabilization Fund, ensuring that CNMs have access to liability insurance. The
bill has passed both chambers as of March 19.
Minnesota H.3217 is an APRN independent practice bill,
which states in part that, "It shall be an unlawful trade practice for any
profession to be allowed to control the consumer public's access to another
profession by requiring the profession to secure an agreement or permission
from the competing profession in order to serve the public." The bill was
introduced on March 19.
Mississippi H.1289 creates the Commission on the Future
of Medicaid and Health Care in Mississippi. The bill provides for the
membership of the commission and specifies the Medicaid and other health topics
and matters for the commission to study and make recommendations on, with the
goal of ensuring access, increasing quality and controlling costs of the
Medicaid and other health programs. The bill became eligible for the Governor's
consideration on March 11.
New Mexico S.69 directs the Office on African
American Affairs to create a pilot program in Bernalillo County to address
African American infant mortality and maternal health. The bill was signed into
law on March 12.
Washington S.6268 requires health carriers to offer
transparency tools for members with certain price and quality information;
directs a stakeholder committee to identify and recommend statewide measures of
health performance; and requires state agencies to use the measures to inform
and set benchmarks for their purchasing. The bill became eligible for the
Governor's consideration on March 7.
Should you have questions
about federal issues, please contact Jesse Bushman, ACNM's Director of Advocacy
and Government Affairs at [email protected]
or 240-485-1843.
Should you have questions
about state issues, please contact Cara Kinzelman, ACNM's Manager of State
Government Affairs at [email protected]
or 240-485-1841.
Don't forget to register
for the ACNM 59th Annual Meeting & Exposition. Details are available
at the conference website.
Want to take action or
get involved? Contact ACNM's Government Affairs Committee.
Don't have the time or
energy to get involved, but still want to contribute? Support the Midwives-PAC.
