State lawmakers agree on maternal health bill

New maternal health legislation (H 4999), which emerged from negotiations Wednesday, won House and Senate approval during sparsely attended informal sessions Thursday.

The bill is now heading to Gov. Maura Healey's desk.

"It's with immense gratitude that we get to actually revel in this moment of progress, celebrating this monumental commitment to improving the quality of life, maternal and mental health care for our most at-risk constituents," said Sen. Liz Miranda, who sponsored maternal health legislation this session.

The agreement creates a pathway to licensure for certified professional midwives and lactation consultants, removes barriers to opening birth centers, develops resources for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, expands access to postpartum depression screenings, and improves oversight of ultrasound care. It also requires MassHealth to cover doula services for pregnant people, postpartum individuals up to 12 months after the end of their pregnancy, and adoptive parents until their infants turn one.

Beacon Hill lawmakers ran out of time to strike a deal on the bills, which were largely similar across the House and Senate versions, before the end of formal sessions. The maternal health legislation was the first bill to be released from closed-door negotiations since the Aug. 1 end of formals, and the Legislature still has major business unfinished.

Emily Anesta, president of the Bay State Birth Coalition, said the maternal health bill "will significantly improve access to high-quality, personalized maternity care for countless families across our state."

"This omnibus package is a powerful, multi-faceted approach to addressing our urgent maternal health crisis and racial inequities," Anesta said in a statement Thursday. "People in Massachusetts want and deserve access to midwifery care and birth centers — and this is a huge step forward to ensure people can obtain this essential care."