MA S784

Establishes the Midwifery Workforce Development Fund to provide tuition assistance, stipends, student loan forgiveness, and grants for certified professional midwives and certified nurse midwives, with priority for those serving underserved areas or marginalized populations

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

Mandates that licensed freestanding birth centers receive reimbursement rates equal to hospital rates for the same services, including a negotiated facility fee with a minimum amount set 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 births occurring outside hospitals, with protections prohibiting use of individual data for licensing investigations or discipline