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State and federal leaders are gathering on Monday in Portsmouth to mark the signing of the Virginia Momnibus, a landmark legislative package comprising 12 new laws and nearly $7 million in funding to improve maternal health care and outcomes across the Commonwealth.
The press event, held at Toddler Time Child Development Center at 11:30 a.m., features House Speaker Don Scott, Senator L. Louise Lucas, Congressman Bobby Scott, Delegate Candi Mundon King, other members of the General Assembly, health care advocates, and community stakeholders.
Key provisions include:
- HB1929: Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to partner with a mobile pregnancy app to raise awareness of state maternal and infant health programs for those eligible for Medicaid.
- HB2083: Requires the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to establish a special enrollment period allowing pregnant individuals to enroll in a qualified health plan during pregnancy.
- Midwifery Access and Independence: Multiple bills expand midwifery care. One allows licensed certified midwives to practice independently after 1,000 supervised hours. Others require health insurers to reimburse midwives at the same rate as certified nurse midwives and allow them to serve on nursery care duty rosters under updated state regulations.
- HB2094: Requires Medicaid to cover up to 10 doula visits — four during pregnancy and six in the year after childbirth — and mandates annual reporting on outcomes.
- HB2753 / SB1279: Mandates hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, and birthing centers implement standardized protocols for obstetric emergencies like hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and eclampsia. The Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative will collect and report data on maternal health outcomes.
(Photo by Minh Connors for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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