Support Insurance Coverage for Home Birth

To:  Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Julie Finefrock is six months pregnant and medically eligible for a home-birth, which she has chosen for herself and her baby, but for which she has been denied coverage by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Ms. Finefrock’s husband is an SEIU employee and she is appealing her denial of coverage at a hearing in New York City on March 18th.

Under New York state law, Ms. Finefrock would have the benefit of medical insurance coverage, yet SEIU, because it provides a self-insured health policy to its members, has found a loophole to exclude coverage for planned homebirth care via the Employee Retirement Income Support Act (ERISA). This federal law sets minimum standards for retirement and health benefit plans in private industry. Ms. Finefrock is asking SEIU to give her parity with non-union NY State residents and allow her to choose the medical care that evidence has shown is both safer and more economical than hospital birth.

I believe that New York State residents deserve equal coverage regardless of their employment situation, and encourage the SEIU to support appropriate maternity care in line with that of New York State law.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Support Insurance Coverage for Home Birth Petition to Service Employees International Union (SEIU) was created by and written by Rebecca Benghiat (becca@newspacenyc.org).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.