Advocacy Groups Push Maternal Health Priorities
Advocacy events this week highlighted legislative priorities for expanding the maternal health workforce and improving equity. In Mississippi, the Black Women’s Roundtable laid out its 2026 agenda, while Virginia’s MSV Lobby Day took place on February 12. These efforts coincide with new media analyses on policy updates impacting Medicaid coverage and scope of practice for midwives.
- Recent legislative changes in Virginia position the state as a leader in midwifery access; Governor Youngkin signed HB 1923, making Virginia the first state to mandate 100% fee schedule reimbursement for all licensed midwives from both Medicaid and private insurers. - To combat care shortages in rural areas, Virginia's HB 1904, effective July 2025, allows certified nurse-midwives to staff 24-hour on-call rosters for newborn nursery care, addressing the fact that 36% of Virginia's counties are considered "maternity care deserts." - In Mississippi, a key legislative goal is the passage of House Bill 1839, which would establish a state licensing system for Certified Professional Midwives. Currently, the Mississippi Center for Justice is also pursuing legal action to remove the requirement for Certified Nurse-Midwives to have a collaborative agreement with a physician to practice. - The urgency of these advocacy efforts is underscored by stark differences in outcomes; from 2019 to 2023, Mississippi's maternal mortality rate was 39.7 deaths per 100,000 births, one of the highest in the nation. For the 2018-2022 period, Virginia's rate was 32.7 deaths per 100,000 live births. - In addition to workforce expansion, Virginia lawmakers are exploring technological solutions to maternal health gaps. A proposed pilot program would provide remote monitoring tools, such as blood pressure cuffs and glucose monitors, to as many as 500 Medicaid-enrolled participants with high-risk pregnancies. - The Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable's 2026 legislative priorities extend beyond Medicaid expansion to include economic justice and paid family and medical leave. - In Virginia, a new law requires certified nurse-midwives with fewer than 1,000 hours of practice to have a consultation practice agreement with a physician or an experienced independent practice midwife. - The Virginia Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives is now focusing its 2026 efforts on the implementation of these new laws and on addressing barriers that prevent midwives from contracting with the state's Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs).
