Author Archives: Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP
Are Midwifery Centers Safe?
Are you thinking about delivering your child in a midwifery center or away from a traditional hospital? You probably want to do some research to determine if this is the best option for the health of your child. Recently, MedicalDaily.com had a terrifying story about a newborn in Texas who was delivered in January 2014 at a midwifery center, who died shortly later after developing Legionnaires’ disease. According to the website, a report issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services suggests the decision to use a midwife and undergo a water birth may have contributed to the baby’s death. The center allegedly used “a recreational-grade tub with water from a private well and treated it with water purifying spa drops two weeks before the child’s birth,” according to MedicalDaily.com. However, the water had not undergone filtration or chemical treatment. Six days after the delivery, the baby was transported…
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Does Maryland Have a Birth Injury Fund?
Updating a blog post we brought you earlier this year, a panel in Maryland has recommended that the state create a fund to help care for babies with suffering neurological injuries during birth. According to the Baltimore Sun, the no-fault fund would be similar to funds setup in Virginia and Florida. It is controversial among patient advocates and malpractice attorneys. The panel was made up of members of the health care industry, according to the newspaper. The General Assembly reported that the fund would help control medical malpractice-related costs for doctors and hospitals. The legislation would let hospitals, doctors with obstetrics and gynecological practices, as well as malpractice insurers, pay annual fees to the birth injury fund, which families could used to pay medical bills, according to the Sun. Many people are worried that the fund would allow healthcare providers to escape blame for negligence. “As I see it, any…
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What is the ABLE Act?
If your child has suffered a birth injury, you should be aware that new legislation has been approved that allows people to place money in accounts similar to college saving plans to cover living expenses. According to the Associated Press, Congress has passed the ABLE Act, which allows for people with disabilities to save money and open tax-free savings accounts. The bill is the most “sweeping legislation to help the disabled in a quarter century.” The bill has received bipartisan support, as Senate passed the measure by a 76-16 vote and the House passed it by an overwhelming majority, 404-17. “This is a monumental, landmark bill,” said Sara Hart Weir, the interim president of the National Down Syndrome Society, according to the AP. ABLE stands for the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act—it is estimated that the legislation will allow an estimated 54 million Americans with disabilities to setup savings…
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