Does Idaho Medicaid Cover Home Birth? 2026 CNM Coverage and the Licensed Midwife Medicaid Gap
Yes for CNMs. Idaho Medicaid covers Certified Nurse-Midwife services for prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care, including newborn care for up to six weeks. [1] Licensed Midwives with CPM certification are not Medicaid-eligible in Idaho. [2] Idaho is also one of nine states without birth center licensure. [1]
Idaho recognizes two midwifery credentials , Certified Nurse-Midwives and Licensed Midwives with CPM certification , but only CNMs can bill Idaho Medicaid. [1,2] LMs in Idaho primarily attend home births and birth center deliveries through private-pay arrangements. Idaho is also one of only nine states without state-level birth center licensure, [1] which limits the freestanding birth center option that's a fallback in most states. This guide explains the framework.
On this page
Sources cited (3)
- MACPAC Access to Maternity Providers (2023)
- NACPM Medicaid Reimbursement Rates (2025)
- Social Security Act § 1905(a)(17)
Does Idaho Medicaid cover home birth?
Yes when attended by a CNM. Idaho Medicaid covers CNM services for prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care, including newborn care for up to six weeks following delivery. [1] CNMs in Idaho who attend home birth and bill Medicaid follow standard CPT 59400 global maternity care billing.
For Licensed Midwives (Idaho's term for non-nurse direct-entry midwives holding the NARM CPM credential), Idaho Medicaid coverage does not exist. [2] Idaho is not among the 14 states with Medicaid CPM coverage as of 2025. LM-attended home birth is paid out of pocket only.
Idaho's compounding access challenge: the state is one of only nine without state-level birth center licensure, [1] which means freestanding birth centers don't operate as a regulated alternative in Idaho the way they do in most states. Out-of-hospital birth in Idaho is essentially "home birth or hospital," without the birth-center middle option.
Which midwife credentials does Idaho Medicaid cover?
Idaho recognizes two midwifery credentials.
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are licensed by the Idaho Board of Nursing as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with prescriptive authority. CNM services are a federal Medicaid mandatory benefit. [3] Idaho's CNMs primarily practice in hospitals and clinics, with some attending home birth.
Licensed Midwives (LMs) with CPM certification are credentialed by the Idaho Midwifery Council. LMs primarily attend home births and birth center deliveries. They hold CPM certification through NARM plus Idaho-specific licensure. LMs are not Medicaid-eligible billing providers. [2]
| CREDENTIAL | ID MEDICAID COVERAGE | PRACTICE SETTING |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) | Yes (federal mandate) [1,3] | Hospital, clinic, home |
| Licensed Midwife with CPM (LM) | Not Medicaid-eligible [2] | Out-of-pocket; home birth specialist |
How do you find an Idaho Medicaid-accepting midwife?
Idaho's home birth midwifery community is concentrated in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and Idaho Falls. The Idaho Midwifery Council maintains a provider directory.
For a full guide to home birth midwives in Idaho, including licensing, costs by region, and what to ask before hiring, see our Idaho home birth midwife guide.
Identify your Idaho Medicaid plan
Idaho Medicaid is largely fee-for-service with some managed care components. Your enrollment confirmation lists your plan.
Search for CNMs offering planned home birth
The Idaho Midwifery Council (idahomidwives.org) maintains a directory. Cross-reference with your plan's provider network.
Confirm CNM credential and Medicaid panel by phone
Most Idaho midwives offering home birth are LMs (not Medicaid-billable). Ask each practice: "Are you a CNM enrolled with Idaho Medicaid?"
Plan for hospital-based or out-of-pocket alternatives
If no CNM offers home birth in your area, Idaho Medicaid covers hospital-based CNM-attended birth. LM home birth is private-pay.
What if no Idaho Medicaid CNM serves your area?
Idaho Medicaid covers CNMs but does not cover Licensed Midwives or CPMs. The Treasure Valley (Boise, Meridian, Nampa) has the most Medicaid-accepting CNMs. Eastern Idaho, the Panhandle, and rural Idaho have thinner provider pools.
If your area has no Medicaid-enrolled CNM offering home birth, your realistic options are:
Hospital birth with a CNM who accepts Medicaid. Most Idaho CNMs practice in hospital settings. Idaho Medicaid covers CNM-attended hospital births in full.
Freestanding birth center. Some Idaho birth centers are CNM-led and Medicaid-credentialed. These offer a midwife-led out-of-hospital alternative.
Self-pay or sliding-scale CPM care. A Licensed Midwife (CPM) cannot bill Idaho Medicaid, but many Idaho CPMs offer sliding-scale arrangements for low-income families. Total fees usually run $3,500 to $5,500 in Idaho. See our sliding-scale guide for how to negotiate.
Cross-state options. Families in northern Idaho sometimes work with Spokane, Washington midwives. Washington Apple Health covers Licensed Midwives, but Apple Health enrollment is limited to Washington residents.
For a complete guide to Idaho home birth covering licensing, costs by region, transfer hospitals, and what to ask, see our Idaho home birth midwife guide.
Bottom line: Idaho Medicaid covers CNM-attended home birth as a federal mandatory benefit, with newborn care included for up to six weeks. [1] Licensed Midwives with CPM certification are not Medicaid-eligible in Idaho. [2] Idaho is also one of nine states without birth center licensure, [1] which removes a standard fallback. The realistic Medicaid pathway is to find a CNM offering planned home birth or default to hospital-based CNM care.
- Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission. Access to Maternity Providers: Midwives and Birth Centers. May 2023. View source
- National Association of Certified Professional Midwives. Medicaid Reimbursement Rates by State. 2025. View source
- Social Security Act § 1905(a)(17), 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(a)(17). Mandatory Medicaid coverage of nurse-midwife services. View source
▶ How we research and review this content Editorial standards
Every guide on Home Birth Partners is researched against primary sources (federal regulations, peer-reviewed clinical literature, and state-level licensing boards) and reviewed by a credentialed midwife before publication.
We update articles when source data changes, when state laws are revised, or at minimum every 12 months. The "Last reviewed" date in the byline reflects the most recent review.
If you spot an error or have a primary source we should add, email [email protected].