A00446 Summary:
BILL NO | A00446 |
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SAME AS | SAME AS S04325 |
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SPONSOR | Gottfried |
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COSPNSR | Jaffee, Ortiz, Paulin, Galef, Robinson, Ryan, Peoples-Stokes, Steck, Hooper, Lifton, Bronson, McDonald, Linares, Harris, Lavine, Fahy |
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MLTSPNSR | Arroyo, Brennan, Cook, Lentol, Lupinacci, Perry, Rivera, Skartados, Solages, Thiele, Weinstein, Wright |
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Amd SS2801 & 2803, Pub Health L | |
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Relates to midwifery birth centers; includes term within the definition of a hospital; directs the commissioner of health to make regulations relating to establishment and operation of midwifery birth centers. |
A00446 Memo:
Go to topNEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)   BILL NUMBER: A446 SPONSOR: Gottfried (MS)
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to midwifery birth centers   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To authorize midwife-led birth centers   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: The bill amends Article 28 of the Public Health Law to authorize midwifery birth centers. The Commissioner of Health will issue regulations relating to their establishment, construction and operation, using state and national professional asso- ciation standards in consultation with industry and midwives. Services would be under the supervision of a physician or midwife, and all in accordance with Education Law practice rules.   JUSTIFICATION: Midwifery birth centers are accredited by the Commis- sion for the Accreditation of Birth Centers, which provides quality-con- trol standards and guidelines. They offer high quality, individualized, cost-effective care to promote optimum pregnancy outcomes. They encour- age family-centered maternity and neonatal care, and promote and support breastfeeding. Such freestanding birth centers operated by midwives consistently have low cesarean-section rates, fewer labor inductions, and successful parent bonding and breastfeeding without prolonged sepa- ration. Midwife-led birth centers promote wellness-based birth over expensive technology and unnecessary interventions. They consistently earn high patient satisfaction from women seeking a welcoming environment without restrictions on the presence of supportive staff, friends, and family members. A 2013 study reported in The Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health detailing outcomes in midwifery birth centers across the U.S. from 2007 and 2010 found no maternal deaths and estimated that midwifery birth centers saved upwards of $30,000,000 for the 15,574 births included in the study. This bill removes the existing barriers that restrict the establishment of freestanding birth centers led by licensed midwives and permits the Commissioner to determine which Article 28 certificate-of-need require- ments are appropriate and reasonable for the scope of services provided. All Education Law rules governing midwifery practice will, of course, apply.   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2013-2014: A.9398 passed Assembly   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None   EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately
A00446 Text:
Go to top STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 446 2015-2016 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 7, 2015 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GOTTFRIED, JAFFEE, ORTIZ, PAULIN, GALEF, CLARK, ROBINSON, RYAN, BROOK-KRASNY, PEOPLES-STOKES, STECK, HOOPER, LIFTON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, BRENNAN, CAMARA, COOK, LENTOL, RIVERA, SKARTADOS, THIELE, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to midwifery birth centers The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 2801 of the public health law, as 2 separately amended by chapters 297 and 416 of the laws of 1983, is 3 amended to read as follows: 4 1. "Hospital" means a facility or institution engaged principally in 5 providing services by or under the supervision of a physician or, in the 6 case of a dental clinic or dental dispensary, of a dentist, or, in the 7 case of a midwifery birth center, of a midwife, for the prevention, 8 diagnosis or treatment of human disease, pain, injury, deformity or 9 physical condition, including, but not limited to, a general hospital, 10 public health center, diagnostic center, treatment center, dental clin- 11 ic, dental dispensary, rehabilitation center other than a facility used 12 solely for vocational rehabilitation, nursing home, tuberculosis hospi- 13 tal, chronic disease hospital, maternity hospital, midwifery birth 14 center, lying-in-asylum, out-patient department, out-patient lodge, 15 dispensary and a laboratory or central service facility serving one or 16 more such institutions, but the term hospital shall not include an 17 institution, sanitarium or other facility engaged principally in provid- 18 ing services for the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of mental disa- 19 bility and which is subject to the powers of visitation, examination, 20 inspection and investigation of the department of mental hygiene except 21 for those distinct parts of such a facility which provide hospital EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02738-01-5A. 446 2 1 service. The provisions of this article shall not apply to a facility or 2 institution engaged principally in providing services by or under the 3 supervision of the bona fide members and adherents of a recognized reli- 4 gious organization whose teachings include reliance on spiritual means 5 through prayer alone for healing in the practice of the religion of such 6 organization and where services are provided in accordance with those 7 teachings. 8 § 2. Section 2801 of the public health law is amended by adding a new 9 subdivision 11 to read as follows: 10 11. "Midwifery birth center" means a hospital engaged principally in 11 providing prenatal and obstetric care, where such services are provided 12 principally by midwives. 13 § 3. Section 2803 of the public health law is amended by adding a new 14 subdivision 11 to read as follows: 15 11. The commissioner shall make regulations relating to midwifery 16 birth centers, including relating to establishment, construction, and 17 operation, considering the standards of state and national professional 18 associations of midwifery birth centers, in consultation with represen- 19 tatives of midwives, midwifery birth centers, and general hospitals 20 providing obstetric services. 21 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.