Medicaid Midwives in Ohio: Coverage and How to Find One

Last updated October 2026.

Ohio Medicaid covers midwifery care from certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), at hospitals, midwife practices and freestanding birth centers. It does not cover certified professional midwives (CPMs) or traditional midwives, because Ohio doesn't license them. Here's what that means for your options and how to find a midwife who takes Medicaid.

Which midwives Ohio Medicaid covers

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs)

CNMs are advanced practice registered nurses licensed by the Ohio Board of Nursing. They hold a master's or doctoral degree and national certification in nurse-midwifery. Ohio Medicaid pays for covered services a CNM provides, in both hospital and non-hospital settings. In Ohio, CNMs practice in collaboration with a physician under a written standard care arrangement.

Certified professional midwives (CPMs) and traditional midwives

Ohio law does not currently recognize certified midwives, licensed midwives (the license many states give CPMs) or traditional midwives. Some still practice in Ohio, but they are not Medicaid providers, so plan to pay out of pocket if you choose one.

That could change. House Bill 537, introduced in October 2025, would create licenses for certified midwives and licensed midwives, let traditional midwives keep practicing without a license, and set rules for home births. As of October 2026 it was still in the House Children and Human Services Committee, so nothing has changed yet.

Birth settings Medicaid covers

Hospitals: Some Ohio hospitals have midwifery practices with CNMs who attend births alongside obstetricians.
Freestanding birth centers: Ohio Medicaid pays licensed freestanding birth centers a single bundled payment for prenatal, delivery, postpartum and newborn care for low-risk pregnancies, plus separate payment for the practitioner's services. If you don't deliver at the birth center, Medicaid pays for the individual services you received instead.
Home birth: Medicaid pays CNMs for covered services outside the hospital too, but CNMs who attend home births can be hard to find, partly because the required physician collaboration agreement is harder to arrange for births outside the hospital. If you want a home birth with Medicaid, confirm with the midwife and your plan, in writing if possible, that the birth will be covered.

Your Medicaid plan decides the network

If you're in Ohio Medicaid managed care, your plan is one of seven: AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio, Anthem, Buckeye Health Plan, CareSource, Humana Healthy Horizons, Molina Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Each plan keeps its own provider directory, and networks differ, so a midwife who is in one plan may not be in another. If you're not sure which plan you have, check your Medicaid card or call the Ohio Department of Medicaid member hotline at 1-800-324-8680.

How to find a midwife who takes Medicaid in Ohio

Search your Medicaid plan's directory. Look for "certified nurse midwife" or "nurse midwife" in your plan's online provider directory, or call member services (the number is on your card) and ask for in-network CNMs who are accepting new patients.
Ask hospitals near you. Call the labor and delivery unit or the women's health clinic and ask whether they have a midwifery practice and which Medicaid plans it accepts.
Check community health centers. Federally qualified health centers and other community health centers may offer prenatal care with CNMs on staff, or refer you to a midwifery practice.
Verify the license. Look up any CNM on the Ohio eLicense license verification site.
Post a free request on Bornbir. Tell Ohio midwives your due date, ZIP code, Medicaid plan and where you'd like to give birth. Midwives reply, and you can ask each one whether they're in your plan's network.

Questions to ask a midwife

Are you a certified nurse-midwife, and are you in network with my Medicaid plan?
Where do you attend births: hospital, birth center or home?
Who is your collaborating physician, and when would you transfer my care?
Will the same midwife or small team see me through pregnancy and birth?
Is anything you offer not covered by Medicaid?

Add a doula, also covered

Ohio Medicaid also covers doula care, up to 12 hours of prenatal and postpartum visits plus labor support, from State of Ohio Certified Doulas. A doula can work alongside your midwife. Read how to find a Medicaid-covered doula in Ohio.

Find midwives in Ohio's largest cities

Browse midwives in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton, or see all midwives in Ohio. For more on the law, read Are midwives legal in Ohio?

Post a free request and local midwives reply. Bornbir is free for parents; not every midwife accepts Medicaid, so confirm your plan's network before your first visit.