Richmond Council Seeks Public Policy Input
Richmond's City Council is actively soliciting public input on local laws and government policy, including the city budget. Residents are encouraged to contact their district representatives to share suggestions. This provides an avenue for community members, including healthcare professionals, to engage in local advocacy.
- A new Virginia law that took effect July 1, 2025, requires private insurers to reimburse licensed certified midwives and licensed midwives at the same rate as certified nurse-midwives for providing the same services. - Virginia's maternal mortality rate was 24.5 per 100,000 live births in 2024, which is a 50% decrease from its peak of 49.2 per 100,000 in 2021. - To address maternity care shortages, a law (HB 1904) effective July 1, 2025, allows certified nurse-midwives to fulfill the 24-hour on-call staffing requirements for newborn nursery care in hospitals when a pediatrician is unavailable. - Governor Glenn Youngkin's budget included a proposed $2.5 million for Perinatal Health Hub pilot programs and $1 million to expand doula and community health worker programs, targeting localities with the highest maternal mortality rates. - The Virginia Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives' 2026 legislative priorities include the "MAMA Bill" (Midwives and Maternal Access Insurance Parity) to mandate 100% reimbursement from all health plans for all licensed midwives. - The 2025 "momnibus" legislative package included proposals to pilot remote monitoring for high-risk pregnancy conditions like hypertension and diabetes, aimed at improving access for patients in rural areas; approximately 30% of Virginia counties lack a birthing center within a 30-minute drive. - Since 2012, Virginia has seen a 25% reduction in the number of birthing hospitals, and data shows that increased travel distances for patients correlate with higher rates of severe maternal morbidity and preterm births.
