![]() ![]() Hospital industry leaders say birthing units also tend to lose money, largely because of low payments from Medicaid, the public health insurance program that covers more than 40% of births in the U.S. where hospitals have dropped birthing services during the past two decades, often because they lack obstetricians and other specialized staff members. Muscatine is one of hundreds of rural areas in the U.S. ![]() Mom and newborn baby natalialeb/Adobe Stock Last year, it served more than 500 patients in Muscatine and Washington. Instead, the midwife team helps ensure area women receive related services. The university’s pilot project, which is supported by a federal grant, doesn’t aim to reopen shuttered birthing units. She’s one of 11 certified nurse midwives from the University of Iowa who travel regularly to Muscatine and Washington, another southeastern Iowa town where the local hospital closed its birthing unit. Roman is part of an unusual effort to minimize the harm caused by such closures. She can’t give birth at Muscatine’s hospital because it shuttered its birthing unit in 2020. She will need to arrange for someone to drive her about 40 miles northwest to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Her lack of reliable transportation won’t be a laughing matter in August, when her baby is due. You want to buy it? Five bucks!” Tordai joked. Jaclyn Roman, a nurse midwife, walked into the exam room. For more information, visit new moms have access to Medicaid in effort to reduce maternal mortality In 2016, Meriter earned an overall 5-Star quality rating from the Centers from Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), was named a 100 Top Hospital ® by Truven Health Analytics™ and won an Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ from Healthgrades. Meriter offers primary and specialty care, including heart and vascular, orthopedics, women’s health, and is home to the busiest birthing center in Wisconsin. UnityPoint Health – Meriter provides comprehensive, coordinated care to patients in the Greater Madison area through our clinics, hospital and home care services. GHC-SCW was the number one rated private plan in Wisconsin from 2006-2015. GHC-SCW is one of the “highest-rated” health insurance plans in the nation according to NCQA’s Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015–2016. Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (GHC-SCW) is a nonprofit health plan that cares for more than 80,000 members. The Cooperative has served the greater Dane County area for forty years and provides both insurance and clinical services for its members. Meriter plans to hire more staff and will add new birthing center suites, triage rooms and Level 3 NICU space to accommodate the additional capacity that will be required. “We can assure GHC-SCW members that they’ll have outstanding experience at our facility, always knowing that they’re supported by the expertise of UW Health specialists, should it be necessary.” “We take great pride in the tremendous experience our team offers growing families, while making sure each has their own, special experience,” said Art Nizza, President and CEO of UnityPoint Health – Meriter. Members will also have added birth options, like midwife deliveries and the region’s only Baby-Friendly™ birth facility to support breastfeeding. GHC-SCW members will gain access to the full range of services provided through Meriter and UW Health’s shared Mother-Baby Care program, which includes the Center for Perinatal Care for high-risk pregnancies, Birthing Center, a Level III and a Level IV NICU, and a full team of specialists for both mother and baby. “We are always looking out for the best interest of our members, and this transition will allow them to receive the most comprehensive care in the region, which includes more individualized options for their birth experience.” “We’re very pleased to form this new partnership with UnityPoint Health – Meriter,” said Dr. MADISON, WIS – Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (GHC-SCW) and UnityPoint Health – Meriter recently signed a contract to provide insurance coverage for GHC members’ mother-baby services, including labor and delivery and in-patient newborn care, at UnityPoint Health – Meriter beginning January 1, 2018. ![]() New Member Benefit to Begin January 1, 2018
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