HB 334 Summary

• Changes the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives to the Board of Licensed Midwives and replaces the certification system with a licensing system for midwives in Alaska.

• Requires licensed midwives to hold a valid certified professional midwife certificate from the North American Registry of Midwives and be certified in basic life support and newborn resuscitation interventions.

• Prohibits the board from requiring midwives to have nursing degrees, practice under supervision or collaboration with other healthcare providers, enter into agreements with healthcare facilities, or restricting where midwives may practice.

• Mandates health insurance plans covering physician services for preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care (up to one year) must also provide reasonable coverage for licensed midwife services and allow midwives to furnish the same services.

• Changes the midwifery scope of practice definition to extend postpartum care from four weeks to six weeks and adds preconception services; extends the board's sunset date from June 30, 2023 to June 30, 2026; effective January 1, 2023.