Fika Midwifery is suing Independent Health after it says it stopped covering home births.
Midwifery sues Independent Health
Credit: WKBW Buffalo
Duration: 02:05s
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GOOD EVENINGONCE AGAIN... I'MASHLEY ROWE INFOR KEITHRADFORD.A BUFFALOMIDWIFERY ISGOING AFTER ONEOF THE AREA'SLARGESTINSURANCEPROVIDERS.ACCUSING IT OFATTEMPTING TODRIVE THEMIDWIFERY OUT OFBUSINESS.FIKA MIDWIFERY ISSUINGINDEPENDENTHEALTH FOR ANUMBER OFTHINGS...INCLUDINGDEFAMATION... AMINTERFERING WITHITS BUSINESS.OUR ALI TOUHEY ISDIGGING DEEPERINTO THE LAWSUITON A STORY YOU'LLSEE ONLY HERE ONSEVEN ABC.SOT OPEN :03THIS IS REALLY ANISSUE ABOUTCHOICE ANDACCESS TOHEALTH CARE.FIKA MIDWIFERYOWNERMAURAWINKLER IS SUINGINDEPENDENTHEALTH AFTER SHESAYS THEINSURANCECOMPANY STOPPEDPROVIDINGCOVERAGE FORHOME BIRTHS FORHER CLIENTS.SOT :16ALI: WHY DO YOUTHINK THEY AREDENYING THECOVERAGE?WINKLER: I THINKIH AND HOSPITALSDON'T SUPPORT APERSON'S CHOICETO GIVE BIRTHWHEREVER THEYWOULD LIKE TOGIVE BIRTH.ACCORDING TO THIS20 PAGE COMPLAINTFILED IN STATESUPREME COURTINDEPENDENTHEALTH DIDPROVIDE HOMEBIRTH COVERAGEFOR MORE THANTWO YEARS.
BUT, ITSTOPPED IN MID-2019 WHENWINKLER NOLONGER HAD AWRITTENCOLLABORATIVEAGREEMENT WITH APHYSICIAN.SOMETHINGWINKLER SAYS ISNOT REQUIRED BYSTATE LAW.
ONCEMORETHE SUITALLEGESINDEPENDENTHEALTH RETRACTEDPATIENT PAYMENTSAND DENIEDNEWBORN CARE ATFIKA BUT ALLOWEDNEW BORN CARECOVERAGE UNDEROTHER MIDWIVES.THE SUIT ALSOACCUSESINDEPENDENTHEALTH OFENCOURAGINGPATIENTS TO GOELSEWHERE FORHEALTHCARESERVICES, ANDDISCOURAGINGPHYSICIANS FROMCOLLABORATINGWITH WINKLER'SMIDWIFERY.INDEPENDENTHEALTH DECLINEDTO GO ON CAMERA.BUT IN ASTATEMENT, ASPOKESMAN SAID."INDEPENDENTHEALTH HAS ACOMPREHENSIVENETWORK OF AREAPROVIDERS,INCLUDING NEARLY60 LOCAL MIDWIVES."NEITHER FIKAMIDWIFERY NORMAURA WINKLERPARTICIPATE IN OURNETWORK.
INADDITION,AUTHORIZATIONFOR HOME BIRTHSREQUIRES ALLPROVIDERS TOMEETCREDENTIALLINGAND CLINICALCRITERIA AS WELLAS COMPLYINGWITH MEMBERCONTRACTREQUIREMENTS."WE DENY AND WILLVIGOROUSLYDEFENDOURSELVESAGAINST ALLACCUSATIONS INTHE COMPLAINT.BECAUSE THIS IS APENDING LEGALMATTER, WECANNOT COMMENTFURTHER."IN BUFFALO, ALITOUHEY, 7 EWN.