The Muncie Star Press has an article entitled “New Law Aids Births Outside Hospital. Specifically, the law in question is SEA 568 which requires birthing centers and abortion clinics to be licensed by the state department of health.
The law defines “birthing center” as “”a free-standing entity that has the sole purpose of delivering a normal or uncomplicated pregnancy.” According to the article, because such centers were unregulated, Medicaid paid only half of the cost. At the center they looked at, the cost was about $4,100, including pre-natal care, delivery, and follow up. Besides the one in Muncie, the only such center is in Indianapolis.
According to the article, about 20% of the patients end up having to be transferred to a normal hospital, usually for non-emergency reasons such as weak contractions requiring Pitocin.
I guess it’s like a fair number of other conditions. It’s nice to have an alternative that doesn’t require the medical expertise and associated expense of a doctor. But when you need a doctor, you really need a doctor.
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