Birth Centers in Minnesota

Read the health care article in the Minneapolis Tribune,
called DFLers vow to fight for health care aid.

Senator Linda Berglin, D, has shared her Birth Center bill wording with Minnesota Better Birth Coalition lead, Susan Lane. Susan then showed us Trillium midwives who have been attending the coalition meetings. Susan in fact, had showed Senator Berglin the Milbank report with the cost saving power of birth centers.
Senator Berglin had a bill written up in record time.
Go, Linda! Go, Susan!

There is not much opposition expected for this bill. All players are included in some way in the bill. The crashing economy is forcing some major money saving efforts and this one would save the state thousands of dollars quickly. 37% of MN births are paid for by state aid. A birth center birth costs approximately $5,ooo dollars compared to 8-15,ooo for a simple hospital birth, with no complications. Birth centers have excellent birth outcomes for low risk women and VBAC women (who are statistically rather low risk after 2 previous cesareans).