Dear Insurance companies, I am a birth rights advocate writing you on behalf of every pregnant and birthing person amongst this COVID-19 pandemic and always! Birthing at home with a midwife is NOT a luxury, it never has been, and it most certainly is not during this pandemic. With “stay at home” orders in place, and pregnant people being described as some of the most vulnerable, it is a necessity for healthy pregnant people to have medical insurance coverage to birth at home with midwives to reduce their exposure to COVID-19, which will soon be taking over hospitals.
Hospitals will be running out of space, personnel will be limited and pregnant people will be forced to birth under less than healthy environments. Hospitals are already limiting support people and also advising pregnant people to undergo unnecessary cesareans due to COVID-19. Not only is this completely unnecessary, it is unhealthy for the birther and baby.
Many birthers during this pandemic want to switch from hospital birth to homebirth, as to minimize their exposure and maximize their health. But health insurance companies are not fully covering homebirths with midwives and it’s leaving parents and babies in predicaments they do not need to be in. Parents should not be forced to birth in a hospital where sick people congregate. Pregnancy is not an illness. It’s a normal function.
You have the capability to cover homebirth midwives during this pandemic which means healthier parents, healthier babies, YOU save money, you keep hospitals helping people who really need the help, and you lessen the exposure of COVID-19 to parents and babies.
Homebirths with a low-risk parent and baby are SAFE and reasonable, especially considering our circumstances. I have had a homebirth myself and can say that the care I received was impeccable and far cheaper than a hospital birth.
I run a very large social media outlet with over 1 million people who are either pregnant, nursing, birth workers, parents, or learning about birth and options. PEOPLE WANT THE OPTION TO BIRTH AT HOME WITH INSURANCE COVERING THEIR MIDWIVES.
Hospitals are now removing all support people from labor and delivery, forcing people to birth alone in hospitals, even without their partners.
If prisons are letting out non-violent offenders to minimize the spread of this virus, why are you not doing your part as well?
If there was ever a time to insure homebirths, IT IS NOW!
