Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Charges Filed Against Seattle Man F… | Your Death Day »

Friday, March 6, 2009

Olympia A Cautionary Tale

Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 4:38 PM

About a week ago, I got a panicked email from an advocate for midwifery in Washington, who wanted to get the word out that the only state body that provides liability insurance to midwives—the Joint Underwriting Association, or JUA—was about to be shut down, a victim of Gov. Gregoire's effort to save money by "eliminating outdated programs." The email read, in part:

Without the JUA, midwives will not be able to get liability coverage, and therefore their services will not be covered by your health insurance. This will put midwives and birth centers immediately out of business.

We need you to call and email your representatives and senators in Olympia TODAY to tell them that this move will cost far more money than it saves, whilst also eliminating a much needed resource for women and their families. A recent Department of Health study found that midwives save the state $250,000 per year, and (if you include private insurance too) that number climbs to $1.3million per year. So clearly it makes no sense to eliminate midwifery in the pursuit of saving money.

In response to pressure from the Midwives Association of Washington, the JUA was removed from the board-abolishing bill. However, it hardly seems inconceivable that other boards that serve an important purpose—and that, like the JUA, indirectly save the state money—might be on Gregoire's rather hastily thrown-together list. Among the boards that are likely to be eliminated: The bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; the Birth Defects Advisory Committee; the Family Literacy Advisory Committee; the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Advisory Committee; the Sex Offender Treatment Program Advisory Committee; the Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction; the Breast & Cervical Health Program Advisory Board; and the Water Supply Advisory Committee.

Comments (14) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

You realize how big the deficit is, and how deep the cuts are going to be *everywhere*, right? Fuck any group that has the word "Advisory" in it's title.

Posted by Big Sven on March 6, 2009 at 4:54 PM

Everywhere except the Jail People For Pot advisory, the Larger Highways Advisory, and the Deter Gay Tourism Advisory.

This is a very small investment that saves the state money, lets people keep their jobs without the state actually paying for them, and provides a needed service. It's stupid and/or evil not to keep it.

Posted by Comment Registration on March 6, 2009 at 5:02 PM

Yet the billion $ viaduct tunnel and surface roads will still be constructed; because Washingtonians feel entitled to access every square foot in the city with their single-occupancy cars.

Posted by PedestrianMe on March 6, 2009 at 5:09 PM

"It's stupid and/or evil" to get rid of the Family Literacy Advisory Committee? Really?

Tell you what- you don't have to fund the entire $8b that we're short. Just the budget for the Family Literacy Advisory Committee. Either that, or you come out to Issaquah and personally tell the second grade teacher at my kids' school that she's fired. Which would you prefer?

Posted by Big Sven on March 6, 2009 at 5:14 PM

midwife crisis.

Posted by scary tyler moore on March 6, 2009 at 6:30 PM

Big deal. I can't stand earth mamas. They always wear babushkas and shit.

Posted by Barbie on March 6, 2009 at 6:54 PM

I a committee, panel, or whatever cannot point a single legislative accomplishment in the past couple years it should be killed. I am not really sure these things serve any purpose that governmental staff can't easily handle.

Posted by sgiffy on March 6, 2009 at 8:02 PM

@Barbie, dumbass. Midwives work in hospitals, too. It's not just crunchy women using their services. Midwives are also standard for most births in Europe. I suppose you can't stand European women either, right?...and Africa, and Asia. even Canada, Australia and New Zealand have higher rates of midwife births than the U.S. You know, all those insignificant countries where the cesarean rate isn't 1 out of 3 women like it is here. You're probably right, we should just get rid of midwives because hippies use them. Brilliant.

Posted by d on March 6, 2009 at 10:44 PM

You mean we've been ADVISING people on how to have birth defects?

You libtards really are sick!

Posted by Conservatives are sexy on March 6, 2009 at 11:48 PM

We spent public funds on this yuppie whole foods birthing shit? I hate breeders as much as I hate hippies - but together. Fuck them.

P.S. - I'm Gay!

Posted by mrpoeblows on March 7, 2009 at 3:09 PM

@8 The JUA specifically sells insurance to midwives practicing out of the hospital--attending home and out of hospital (OOH) birth centers. Midwives in hospitals wouldn't be affected by this change.

While there are a handful of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) who would be affected by the JUA shutting down, this change would primarily affect Licensed Midwives. CNMs could choose to move to hospital practice; LMs could not.

Most institutions include malpractice insurance premiums as part of their employment package. MDs, RNs, etc have coverage through the clinic or hospital where they work, and do not have to pay $10,000+ out of pocket for insurance.

Malpractice insurance should be available for all licensed professionals to purchase. Taxpayers shouldn't have to subsidize one category of professionals. The structure of the MAC and the JUA need to be changed.

Posted by used to be a midwife on March 8, 2009 at 8:32 AM

Okay, so people choose midwives because they're not part of the evil-hospital-regime. Great you're bucking the conformist trend of hospital births, but with non-conformity comes a price. Don't expect The Man to subsidize you.

Posted by Bliss on March 8, 2009 at 10:34 AM

Well, I sure am glad that we no longer need an advisory committee for LGBT issues. So, so outdated!

Posted by del on March 8, 2009 at 4:41 PM

@10, your parents are "breeders". and this "breeder" has spent much time and donated a sizable amount of money for gay rights and the prop 8 fight.
guess i'll give it up, since i'm so hated by the gay community.

as a midwife's assistant, i have helped numerous lesbian couples give birth. they chose midwives because they weren't comfortable with the way they were treated by traditional OBs and hospitals.
I've also worked with a gay couple and their surrogate, so it isn't just breeders that are affected by this.
FYI, i've donated my services to low/no-income women and undocumented immigrants, so it's not just for yuppies, either.

Posted by they came for the midwives... on March 9, 2009 at 12:22 AM