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Under the current funding formula, midwives are paid $4,600 to deliver a “course of care,” the term used to describe the suite of pre- and post-natal services provided to a pregnant woman. However, midwives are subject to both an individual cap that limits them to 40 courses of care per year, as well as an overall cap for the group.

Last year’s cap was set at 2,774 courses, and AHS initially refused to budge from that number due to the dire state of the province’s finances. That stance provoked a strong reaction from advocates who launched a public awareness campaign and held a rally at the legislature.

“I think this government is supportive in general, but hearing from families in Alberta how strongly they felt about this issue is a large part of the reason why they felt they needed to take this step forward,” Matheson said.

The additional money announced this week should bring the annual cap to nearly 4,000 courses by 2018.

Matheson said the new courses will mostly go to the existing group of midwives to top-up their workload, rather than funding new midwives to enter the system. More importantly, it will allow at least a couple of vulnerable practices, including one in St. Albert and one in Calgary, to stay in business, she said.

Matheson and Weatherhead said the ultimate goal is to establish a new funding model. Under their ideal scenario, a midwife would not have to worry about using up their courses of care and every woman could get access to a midwife if they want one.

The association would like to see 10 per cent of Alberta births handled by a midwife by 2020, up from five per cent.

Hoffman said she is open to working out a new funding system.

kgerein@postmedia.com

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