Will health reform require new health care plans to cover pregnancy care and delivery by midwives? Will lactation consultants’ services be covered?

Under health reform, health plans will cover standardized, comprehensive benefit packages. The law sets out general categories of benefits that must be covered, and these categories include maternity and newborn care. The details of the specific services that will be covered under each category will be determined by future regulations from the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The law specifically requires the Secretary to consider the health care needs of women when determining the services that the benefits package will include. There will also be a public input process for people to express which benefits they believe are necessary for the Secretary to include in the required benefits package.