Are you confused by what seems like ever-changing proposals for Birth Center Statute Revisions? We don’t blame you, but it really is more simple than it appears.
In straight-forward common language, here is the problem:
The Affordable Care Act protected Birth Centers Nationwide, so instead of playing fair; the medical establishments are pushing back with laws that potentially extinguish their competition.
See, that’s simple; right?
How do you tell the good bills from the bad? That’s simple too; if the bill is seeking to put hospitals and/or physicians over Birth Centers, Birth Center policy or Midwives; it is a Monopoly Bill.
Honestly, DHEC should not be allowed to reinterpret SC statutes after 25 years of successful Birth Center operation, but they did. So the ONLY thing that a SC Bill actually needs would be clarification for DHEC. We need DHEC to understand and accept that when there is a problem at a Birth Center; they should not expect a physician to be called first, they should accept the midwife’s professional judgement about the proper course of action and then expect the hospitals and EMS to follow the Federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).
Our Bill is H.4393. It protects ALL SC Birth Centers currently in operation, as well as the potential for future Birth Centers . Tell your representatives to ONLY vote for a bill that does NOT cause any birth monopoly.
More INFO: https://www.facebook.com/SCNACPM/notes
http://www.scnacpm.org/legislative/
THEIR BILLS:
H.3851 was introduced in 2015. When it was introduced, it mandated many types of physician supervision and hospital involvement into birth center care, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY DHEC’S NEW INTERPRETATION. After much debate and our successful grass roots campaign, the House 3M (medical) Committee made improvements to the bill and sent it to the full House for a vote. At that time, the sponsors of the bill seemed dissatisfied with the improvements from 3M and it was sent back to committee.
On March 1, 2016, H.3851 was completely rejected by the House Committee. This was great news; BUT IT ONLY LASTED 2 DAYS.
Then S.1143 was introduced. It is exactly the same as the original H.3851 (and entire years’ worth of campaigning has been UNDONE). Another Bill H.5002 was similar and was also defeated in 2014.
LETS COUNT THE BILLS:
H.5154; dead
H.5002; dead
H.3851; dead
S.1143; NEW and alive
AND OUR BILL: H.4393 alive
Make the madness end! Ask your Senators to SUPPORT H.4393, and ONLY H. 4393.
Senate Medical Affairs Committee (you can click on individual names for contact information): http://www.scstatehouse.gov/CommitteeInfo/senatemedical.php
Contact Page: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/email.php?T=C&C=S2000000900
Learn More: https://www.facebook.com/SCNACPM/notes
Our Bill: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/query.php?search=DOC&searchtext=4393&catego ry=LEGISLATION&session=121&conid=8078443&result_pos&keyval=1214393& numrows=10
Their Bill: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/query.php?search=DOC&searchtext=birth%20cen ter&category=LEGISLATION&session=121&conid=8132439&result_pos=0&key val=1211143&numrows=10