1667.E AMS OEMI JONE 004

EHB 1667 - S AMD 444

   By    Senator Oemig

ADOPTED 4/11/2007

   Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

   "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. By January 1, 2008, the department of health shall submit to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature an evaluation of the economic benefits to the state's health care system of the midwifery licensure and regulatory program under chapter 18.50 RCW. In particular, the department shall contract with a consultant to conduct a review of existing research literature on whether these economic benefits exceed the state expenditures to subsidize the cost of the midwifery licensing and regulatory program under RCW 43.70.250. The evaluation shall include an assessment of the economic benefits to consumers who elect out-of-hospital births with midwives, including any reduced use of procedures that increase the costs of childbirth. Furthermore, the study shall identify the reasons for the high per-licensee costs of the midwifery licensure and regulatory program. To the extent such costs are the result of department of health investigations of midwives, the study shall identify the nature of the initiating complainant (including categories such as birth parent, other family members, other licensed midwives, certified midwives, obstetricians, gynecologists, other health care professional, paramedics, and department of health) for each investigation conducted during the previous three years, and whether the birth parents supported or opposed the investigation. The department shall identify the outcome and estimated costs of each such investigation, the average cost to the defending midwife of the investigations, and for the midwives whose licenses were not revoked, whether the midwife elected to continue seeking licensure in the subsequent two years.

   The report may also examine the effectiveness of a health professions credentialing surcharge to (1) reduce the variation in levels of credentialing fees paid by health care providers regulated by the department, (2) provide greater equity in credentialing fee amounts, and (3) increase the number of health care providers in those professions. This section expires on January 1, 2008."

On page 1, line 2 of the title, strike "amending RCW 43.70.250;"

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EFFECT: Requires the Department of Health to examine the credentialing fees charged to the various health professions, including a review of existing research literature on the economic benefits of the subsidy of the midwifery licensing fees to consumers and the reasons for the high per-licensee costs of midwives' licenses.