Bill > HB6438

This bill amends the Public Health Code to provide for the licensing of freestanding birth centers. The key provisions include: - Defining a "freestanding birth center" as an agency, other than a hospital or freestanding surgical outpatient facility, that provides midwifery care, low-risk deliveries, and newborn care. - Requiring freestanding birth centers to be licensed by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. - Establishing requirements for freestanding birth centers, such as having policies and procedures for operations, identifying social determinants of health, and providing quality intrapartum care. - Prohibiting freestanding birth centers from using general or regional anesthesia, inducing or augmenting labor with certain agents, and performing certain surgical procedures. - Requiring freestanding birth centers to have health care providers available at all times when patients are admitted and to initiate patient transfers if complications arise. - Exempting freestanding birth centers from the certificate of need requirement.