--- title: "New Public Service Announcement on Funding for Birth Centers - Please Share!" date: 2008-12-19T17:04:05-05:00 author: OBOS Admin canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/new-public-service-announcement-on-funding-for-birth-centers-please-share" section: Blog (Archive) --- [Donate](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/donate) [From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog](/blog)# New Public Service Announcement on Funding for Birth Centers - Please Share! By Christine Cupaiuolo • December 19, 2008 Please note: This entry -- originally posted at [Our Bodies, Our Blog](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog) -- has not been updated since the publication date listed above. [![](https://assets.ourbodiesourselves.org/images/blog-archive/kay_kahn.jpg "kay_kahn")](http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/k_k1.htm)Massachusetts State Rep. Kay Kahn has recorded a 30-second public service announcement urging Medicaid funding for birth centers. Have a listen: **[Birth Centers PSA](https://assets.ourbodiesourselves.org/images/blog-archive/tell-us-you-care1.wav)** Please feel free to use this PSA on your website, or encourage your local radio station to air it. The PSA is sponsored by [Our Bodies Ourselves](http://www.www.ourbodiesourselves.org) and the [American Association of Birth Centers](http://www.birthcenters.org/). "Medicaid wants to cut funding for birth centers, where midwives give families personalized care," says Kahn, who is also a registered nurse. "Help me fight for safe cost-effective birthing options. Visit BirthCenters.org and tell your legislators to support choices for mothers." Kahn is referring to the fact that the [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services](http://www.cms.hhs.gov/) (CMS) — the federal agency that runs Medicare/Medicaid — is refusing to pay the federal percentage of Medicaid payments that states might make to birth centers. This marks a major policy shift, as birth centers have been recognized as a Medicaid provider type in State Medicaid Plans since 1987. As we've [writen](http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2008/12/reimbursement-for-birth-centers-ask-congress-to-act-now) [before](http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2008/09/ask-congress-to-ensure-funding-for-birth-centers), the AABC has been rallying support for legislation to direct CMS to pay birth center facility fees. Your help is still needed. [Contact your legislator by Dec. 22](http://www.birthcenters.org/news/breaking-news/?id=77). --- #### 1 Response Our Bodies Ourselves is no longer able to accept comments. **Hilary** on Dec 20, 2008 About 30% of the clients at the freestanding birth center where I trained in Florida were on Medicaid. They had fantastic outcomes at the birth center, I think easily much better than outcomes of comparable patients in the public hospital. ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)Topics - [Pregnancy & Childbirth](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/pregnancy-childbirth) - [Public Policy](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/public-policy) ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** - We rigorously evaluate all content - We embrace a reproductive justice framework - We don’t accept ads or sell products - We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry - We counter misinformation and disinformation - We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality [read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us) Share [](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)