Requires Rhode Island Medicaid to cover services provided by licensed certified professional midwives and to collect utilization and cost data, while allowing limits consistent with Medicaid rules.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require Rhode Island's Medicaid program to cover maternity and birth-related services provided by Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) — licensed professionals who assist with pregnancies and births, often in home or birth center settings. Currently, Medicaid in Rhode Island does not necessarily reimburse for care provided by this type of midwife, which can limit low-income patients' access to this option. Under this bill, Medicaid would be required to pay CPMs for their services, similar to how it pays other healthcare providers.

The bill would primarily affect low-income pregnant Rhode Islanders who rely on Medicaid for their healthcare coverage, as well as the CPMs who serve them. For patients, it could expand their choices for maternity care beyond traditional hospital-based options. For midwives, it would mean they can be paid through Medicaid for the services they already provide, rather than patients having to pay out of pocket. The state would still be allowed to set reasonable limits on coverage, as long as those limits follow standard Medicaid rules.

The bill also requires the state to collect data on how often these services are used and what they cost. This information would help lawmakers and health officials better understand how the coverage is working in practice and make informed decisions in the future. The bill has been introduced and referred to the Senate Finance Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further action is taken.