In a significant move for maternal health, Governor Maura Healey enacted legislation aimed at transforming the landscape of birth options and health equity in Massachusetts. According to an announcement on the state's official website, the law, dubbed An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options, mandates MassHealth coverage for doula services up to one year postpartum, includes insurance coverage for postpartum depression screenings, and ensures midwifery services are recognized and supported. In a statement obtained by mass.gov, Healey affirmed the state’s initiatives to make birth safer and more accessible while empowering women’s healthcare decisions.
This new law introduces a nine-member Board of Registration in Midwifery within the Department of Public Health, which is responsible for setting regulations and overseeing midwife licensure, adding a layer of professional governance to this burgeoning sector of the state’s healthcare system, and tackles the maternal health crisis by backing a grant program for nonprofits and community health centers to address mental, behavioral health, or substance use disorders in perinatal individuals, establishing a task force on maternal health access and birthing patient safety. Additionally, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll lauds the legislation as crucial, especially as the country grapples with maternal health challenges, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh highlighted the law's role in bridging the maternal care gap that disproportionately affects communities of color.
Further emphasizing the gravity of racial disparities in health, Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, addressed the impact of racism on public health and the disparities in care and outcomes, particularly in maternal health, asserting a commitment to rectifying these injustices to foster wholesome pregnancies and positive health results for all families as he spoke the Department will continue to take necessary steps to close gaps in maternal health care. The legislation also calls for the development of freestanding birth centers and the implementation of a Universal postpartum home visiting program, underlining insurance coverage for these services to ensure a comprehensive health safety net for mothers and their children.
In a move reflecting the administration’s ongoing commitment, MassHealth has already shown progress by enlisting more than 120 doula providers, surpassing an initial goal of 50, by the end of June—a deliberate effort to acknowledge and serve the diversity of MassHealth members, each with unique needs and cultural backgrounds, with Assistant Secretary for MassHealth Mike Levine reaffirming the agency's dedication to growing its diverse doula network, and Senate President Karen E. Spilka echoing this sentiment by stating, "By expanding access to physical and mental healthcare for expecting parents and new families, we are allowing people to focus more on the rewarding parts of being a parent, and less on the health concerns that too many residents face during their parentage journey." House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano praised the bipartisan recognition of the need for heartfelt action on this front, heralding the reforms as pivotal in addressing racial inequities and improving birth outcomes.
