are concerned the professionals designated as “referents” or intervening in birth houses or technical platforms, structures where “physiological” deliveries are made.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
After several months of negotiations, liberal midwives will get an increase. Maladie Insurance announced, Wednesday, December 14, a global envelope of 23 million euros intended for compensation increases for liberal maieuticians designated as referents or speakers in birth homes or technical platforms, structures where are made “physiological” childbirths.
An endorsement to the national convention of some eight thousand liberal midwives was signed on Monday between the National Union of French midwives (UNSSF), one of the two organizations representative of the profession, And health insurance, informs the latter in a Communiqué . The financial impact of this agreement “is 23 million euros”, said the National Health Insurance Fund.
This text specifies the missions of the so-called “referent” midwife. Each pregnant person can declare to Social Security a referent that will follow their journey throughout pregnancy and after childbirth. Under the terms of the agreement, the midwife declared as a referent will receive a remuneration of 45 euros by monitoring of pregnancy. An amount “very much below requests”, deplored Caroline Combot, secretary general of the National Organization of Midwives Unions (ONSSF), the other representative union of the profession, non-signatory. “We were asking 60 euros, knowing that a doctor receives 80 euros for an ALD [long-term affection]. There was no effort made by health insurance,” said this union official.
“Value” the role of midwives
The amendment also aims to “enhance” the role of midwives who accompany women in birth houses or on technical platforms rented within maternity, two types of places where physiological childbirths are made (natural, at low risk).
On a technical set, a package of 80 euros is created to remunerate the penalty on the last month of pregnancy. Two other packages concern birth houses, autonomous structures which allow less medical support: 300 euros for monitoring the delivery work, 150 euros for that of immediate postpartum.
In addition, the agreement provides that the first two home surveillance visits are the subject of an increase of 30 euros.
“The amendment is not entirely satisfactory, but it is a beginning,” commented Henny Jonkers, member of the Board of Directors of the UNSSF, signatory, regretting that nothing is planned for example for home delivery. “This is the first time that accompaniment has been valued during childbirth, and not just the technical act,” she said.
The valuation measures will apply six months after the entry into force of the endorsement, that is to say probably from July 2023.