As a result of COVID-19, an unprecedented number of families are now choosing homebirth. The inadequacy of the state based homebirth programs means that more families than ever are relying on homebirth midwives in private practice to provide their maternity care during these challenging times.
But the access issues that have always surrounded homebirth have been made even more fraught by the pandemic and associated economic crisis. Families are maxing out credit cards and withdrawing their super to pay for their homebirth care.
The Federal Government can fix this.
A key recommendation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Participating Midwife ...
As a result of COVID-19, an unprecedented number of families are now choosing homebirth. The inadequacy of the state based homebirth programs means that more families than ever are relying on homebirth midwives in private practice to provide their maternity care during these challenging times.
But the access issues that have always surrounded homebirth have been made even more fraught by the pandemic and associated economic crisis. Families are maxing out credit cards and withdrawing their super to pay for their homebirth care.
The Federal Government can fix this.
A key recommendation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Participating Midwife report was to create Medicare rebates for homebirth, which will significantly bring down the cost of homebirth care. These recommendations have broad support, and hundreds of families have written in to the stakeholder consultation to share stories of what Medicare rebates for homebirth would mean to them. But this process is dragging out - there is no timeline for when these Medicare rebates will be approved.
Homebirth Australia call on Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt to fully approve the recommendations in the MBS Review Participating Midwife Report (including provision of Medicare rebates for homebirth), and expedite their implementation onto the schedule.
These rebates will make sure all families get the support they need during this crisis, while taking the burden off the public hospital system.
Let’s all get behind this push, and help families stay home!