Date
Assemblymember ___ [insert name]
Insert address of your representative’s State Capitol office
Re: AB 2682 (Burke) – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember ______: [insert name]
I am reaching out to you both as your constituent and as a certified nurse-midwife in strong support of AB 2682. AB 2682 wouldremove the antiquated requirement of physician supervision for certified nurse-midwives(CNMs) while still preserving physician involvement when the patient needs medical care.
Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses that have continued their education requiring a Master’s degree for completion. The education focuses on the health of women including becoming experts in normal pregnancy and childbirth. Nurse-midwives are and have been safety net providers for low income and underserved women of California since 1974.
Women familiar with the research documenting our excellent midwifery outcomes (increased breastfeeding rates, lower cesarean rates, lower epidural rates, lower episiotomy rates) are increasingly seeking nurse-midwifery care and AB 2682 would permit greater access for those who want it. Currently in our district we have several practices that include certified nurse-midwives: [comment on CNM practice sites in the area]
This law is needed because despite physician willingness to partner with nurse-midwives, many malpractice carriers do not permit physicians to “supervise” a nurse-midwife unless the midwife is an employee of the physician. This further limits consumer options in finding nurse-midwives in her health plan and limits employment options for the nurse-midwife.
Keep in mind that only six states in the United States currently require physician supervision. Our neighbors in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona all support a model of collaborative relationships with physicians -like what AB 2682 would accomplish, not supervisorial relationships- and it is notable that those states all have maternal mortality rates lower than California’s.
Since 1974, certified nurse-midwives have collaboratedwithphysicians and health systems to provide quality healthcare for women throughout California. We currently rely on and will continue to rely on our physician colleagues as partners to deliver the highest quality of care to Californians. However, the healthcare needs in our state are too great to continue supporting practice restrictions that are not based in science!
I strongly support AB 2682 and thank youfor your leadership on this important measure. For more information about nurse-midwives or about the bill, please see the website CaliforniaNurseMidwivesAction.com.
Sincerely,
[sign name here]
[type name here and address ]