05/02/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Midwifery Milestone: New Law Ensures Equal Pay for Equal Care in Virginia
Richmond, VA — In a historic win for reproductive health care access and equity, Governor Youngkin has signed House Bill 1923 into law, ensuring insurance reimbursement parity for Licensed Certified Midwives (LCMs) and Licensed Midwives (LMs). The legislation represents a critical step forward in expanding maternal care options and addressing Virginia’s maternity care provider shortage.
Sponsored by Delegate Jeion Ward, HB1923 mandates that private insurers and Medicaid reimburse LCMs and LMs at rates equivalent to their Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) counterparts when providing the same services. This parity recognizes the comparable training, licensure, and clinical outcomes among midwifery professionals and eliminates unjustified payment disparities that have long hindered sustainable midwifery practice.
“This is a tremendous victory not just for midwives, but for the families and communities we serve,” said Karen Kelly, LCM, FACNM, President of the Virginia Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. “With HB1923, Virginia affirms the value of a diverse midwifery workforce and takes a strong step toward addressing maternal health disparities—especially in underserved and rural areas.”
For Degra Nofsinger, LM and founder of Luna Midwifery in Roanoke, the legislation addresses a financial imbalance that has long strained community-based midwifery care: “For over a decade, I’ve raised concerns about the inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates for midwives. Receiving less than the standard rate—despite already low Medicaid payments—has made it incredibly difficult to sustain services. At Luna Midwifery, where approximately 60% of our clients are Medicaid recipients, this reflects the economic realities of the Roanoke region. Improved reimbursement will enable more midwives in private practice to meet the needs of underrepresented communities.”
Katie Page, CNM, staff midwife at Centra Medical Group Women’s Center, emphasized how the new law will open doors for midwives and the patients they serve: “Equal reimbursement for all midwives, especially Licensed Certified Midwives, reduces barriers to hospitals and medical groups to hire midwives for outpatient and hospital services for girls and women from puberty to beyond menopause,” she said.
The passage of HB1923 was the result of months of advocacy from a united coalition of midwives, families, birth advocates, and health policy leaders. It builds on a growing national movement to support midwifery as a key solution to the maternal health crisis.
Virginia joins a small but growing number of states ensuring midwives receive fair compensation for their work—laying the groundwork for expanded access to community birth options, improved maternal outcomes, and increased workforce sustainability.
The new law takes effect July 1, 2025, setting a precedent for broader reforms in maternal health policy across the Commonwealth.
Media Contact:
VirginiaACNM@gmail.com
Lobbyist: Brittany@Lamar-Consulting.com; (804) 464-8610