UPDATED 2/16/24
The biggest impact comes when legislators hear from people who live in the districts that the legislators’ represent. Here is what you can do to easily reach out to your state senator and state representative.
1. Call the Kentucky legislative message line on weekdays. The call should take 5 minutes or less.
- Call 800-372-7181. The operator will ask for your name and if it is your first time calling, they will ask for your address. They will use your address to determine your senator and representative.
- NEW as of 2/16! Ask to leave another message for your REPRESENTATIVE in support of SB89: “Vote YES on SB89 for Medicaid coverage of Licensed Certified Professional Midwives.”
- Ask to leave a message for your REPRESENTATIVE in support of HB199: “Vote YES on HB199 for freestanding birth centers.”
- Ask to leave a message for all members of the HOUSE committee for Licensing & Occupations: “Vote YES on HB199 for for freestanding birth centers.”
- Ask to leave another message for your SENATOR in support of SB103: “Vote YES on SB103 for freestanding birth centers.”
2. Email your state legislators.
Click here to determine your state senator and state representative, and enter your home address. Click on the map and you’ll see the name of your senator and representative.
Here is a list of all legislator email addresses.
Send an email to your SENATOR. Here is a sample (updated 2/16).
SUBJECT: Constituent email- SB89 Medicaid for LCPMs & SB103 birth centers.
Dear Senator (insert Senator’s last name),
I am your constituent in (insert your town name). I am writing to ask for your support on SB103, which exempts freestanding birth centers from the certificate of need barrier. A freestanding birth center is a small, state-licensed and regulated healthcare facility where healthy women can go to give birth. It is an alternative to both a hospital birth and a home birth. Kentucky is one of only 8 states with no freestanding birth centers. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) studied freestanding birth centers and found that women who received prenatal care in birth centers had better birth outcomes and lower costs relative to similar Medicaid beneficiaries not enrolled in the study.
Thank you for your consideration.
Your Name
Your home mailing address
Your phone number
Send an email to your REPRESENTATIVE. Here is a sample (updated 2/16).
NOTE: If you have already emailed your Representative about HB199, you can email just about SB89 if you choose.
SUBJECT: Constituent email- SB89 Medicaid for LCPMs & HB199 birth centers.
Dear Represenative (insert Representative’s last name),
I am your constituent in (insert your town name). I am writing to ask for your support on two bills that are very important to me.
SB89 would provide Medicaid coverage for services of Licensed Certified Professional Midwives (LCPMs) in Kentucky. This bill passed the Senate 34-3 and is now in the House. Choices in maternity care providers should not be limited because of a person’s ability to pay out of pocket. LCPMs are licensed in Kentucky and provide prenatal, home birth, and postpartum care, which means there is no hospital facility fee to be paid. As a result, every birth with an LCPM that is covered by Medicaid will save money for Kentucky Medicaid.
HB199 exempts freestanding birth centers from the certificate of need barrier. A freestanding birth center is a small, state-licensed and regulated healthcare facility where healthy women can go to give birth. It is an alternative to both a hospital birth and a home birth. Kentucky is one of only 8 states with no freestanding birth centers. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) studied freestanding birth centers and found that women who received prenatal care in birth centers had better birth outcomes and lower costs relative to similar Medicaid beneficiaries not enrolled in the study. This bill passed out of the House committee for Licensing & Occupations last session.
Thank you for your consideration.
Your Name
Your home mailing address
Your phone number