MA H5016

Establishes the Midwifery Workforce Development Fund to support education, training, licensing costs, stipends, student loan forgiveness, and mental health support for certified professional midwives and certified nurse midwives, administered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services with an advisory committee

Requires all health insurers (including Group Insurance Commission, MassHealth, commercial insurers, HMOs, and hospital service plans) to reimburse certified nurse-midwives and licensed certified professional midwives at rates no less than physician rates for the same services

Mandates insurance reimbursement for licensed freestanding birth centers at rates equal to hospital rates, including a facility fee with a minimum amount to be determined by the Department of Public Health

Directs the Department of Public Health to establish birth center-specific licensing requirements and facility guidelines within 12 months, and to waive plan review fees for birth centers demonstrating financial hardship within 90 days

Requires participation in the Community Birth Data Registry within 18 months to collect data on community births (home, birth center, and non-hospital births) for quality improvement and research, with protections prohibiting use of confidential data for licensing investigations or discipline