Does New Mexico Medicaid Cover Home Birth? 2026 Turquoise Care Coverage and the Birthing Options Program
Yes. New Mexico Medicaid (now called Turquoise Care, formerly Centennial Care) covers home birth attended by Licensed Midwives and Certified Nurse-Midwives through the New Mexico Birthing Options Program. [1] LMs are credentialed direct-entry midwives and have been Medicaid-eligible providers in New Mexico for over a decade. [2] New Mexico is also one of only two states (with Illinois) where CNMs can bill all services physicians can. [3]
New Mexico has been a national leader in Medicaid coverage of community midwifery for years. The Birthing Options Program (BOP) credentials direct-entry Licensed Midwives as Medicaid providers, [1] and New Mexico's CNM scope of practice is the broadest in the country alongside Illinois. [3] The state's Medicaid program is now called Turquoise Care (rebranded from Centennial Care in 2024), but the underlying coverage of midwifery services remains in place. The remaining barriers are reimbursement gaps for specific billing codes and uneven MCO administration.
On this page
Sources cited (5)
- NM MCH State Action Plan (2022)
- NM Medical Assistance Division
- NASHP, State CNM Medicaid Coverage
- Medicaid.gov NM Turquoise Care 1115 Demo
- Social Security Act § 1905(a)(17)
Does New Mexico Medicaid cover home birth?
Yes. New Mexico's Medicaid program covers home birth attended by Licensed Midwives and Certified Nurse-Midwives through the Birthing Options Program. [1] BOP was established to credential direct-entry LMs as Medicaid providers and has been operational for over a decade.
New Mexico's Medicaid program transitioned in 2024 from Centennial Care to Turquoise Care. [4] The transition continued midwifery coverage policies under the new administrative framework. Coverage is delivered through Managed Care Organizations contracted to operate Turquoise Care plans, and each MCO administers the BOP differently. Provider enrollment and reimbursement workflows vary by MCO, which adds complexity for both midwives and Medicaid families navigating coverage.
Which midwife credentials does New Mexico Medicaid cover?
New Mexico Medicaid recognizes two midwifery credentials.
Licensed Midwives (LMs) are credentialed by the New Mexico Department of Health under the Midwifery Practice Act. [2] NM LMs hold the NARM Certified Professional Midwife credential plus state-specific licensure. They specialize in out-of-hospital birth and are Medicaid-eligible providers through the Birthing Options Program. [1]
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are licensed by the New Mexico Board of Nursing as advanced practice registered nurses. CNM services are a federal Medicaid mandatory benefit under § 1905(a)(17). [5] New Mexico is one of only two states (with Illinois) where CNMs can bill the full range of services physicians can bill. [3]
Unlicensed midwives cannot bill New Mexico Medicaid. The Birthing Options Program specifically credentials licensed providers; lay midwives operate outside the Medicaid framework.
| CREDENTIAL | NM MEDICAID COVERAGE | PRACTICE SETTING |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) | Yes (federal mandate + broadest billing rights) [3,5] | Hospital, birth center, home |
| Licensed Midwife (LM) | Yes (Birthing Options Program) [1] | Birth center or home |
| NARM CPM credential | Required for most LMs [2] | Bundled with state license |
How does New Mexico Medicaid reimburse home birth midwives?
Reimbursement runs through the Birthing Options Program at the MCO level. New Mexico has worked to ensure equitable LM reimbursement and has updated billing and coding guidance over the years, [1] but barriers remain related to allowable billing codes and delivery cost reimbursement.
For global maternity care (CPT 59400), Turquoise Care plans reimburse CNMs and LMs at state-set rates. The CNM advantage in New Mexico is the broad billing scope: where most states limit CNMs to a narrow set of codes, NM CNMs can bill the full physician code set, which improves the economics for solo and small-practice CNMs.
LM reimbursement under BOP can be more constrained because some birth-related services have CPT codes that LMs cannot bill independently of the global package. Practices report variable success negotiating with specific MCOs for full reimbursement of home birth services.
"New Mexico's Birthing Options Program is one of the longest-running Medicaid LM credentialing systems in the country. The bottleneck isn't policy intent; it's the patchwork of billing codes and MCO administration.
On New Mexico's Medicaid midwifery program
How do you find a Medicaid-accepting midwife in New Mexico?
New Mexico's home birth midwifery community is concentrated in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces. The state has a long tradition of community midwifery and the LM community is active.
Identify your Turquoise Care MCO
Turquoise Care is delivered through MCOs (Presbyterian Health Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield NM, Western Sky Community Care, others). Your enrollment confirmation lists yours.
Search for licensed midwives by region
Home Birth Partners and the New Mexico Midwives Association both maintain provider directories. Most LMs serve Albuquerque-Santa Fe corridor and northern NM.
Confirm BOP enrollment with each midwife
Because the Birthing Options Program varies by MCO, ask each midwife: "Are you currently enrolled with [my Turquoise Care MCO] under the Birthing Options Program for 2026?"
Ask about specific billing codes
Some LMs report that certain birth-related services aren't fully covered. Ask each practice: "Which fees do you bill Turquoise Care, and which fees might I owe out of pocket?"
What about Tribal Health Organization coverage?
If you're an enrolled member of one of New Mexico's tribes (Navajo, Pueblo, Apache, Zuni), your Tribal Health Organization may provide midwifery services that bypass the standard Turquoise Care billing process. Indian Health Service facilities and Tribal-operated programs vary in their approach to home birth, but some explicitly support out-of-hospital midwifery for low-risk pregnancies.
New Mexico is unique among states in the depth of Tribal Health Organization integration with Medicaid. If you're tribal-eligible, ask your THO whether they coordinate with LMs in your community for home birth services.
For a full guide to home birth midwives in New Mexico, including licensing, costs by region, and what to ask before hiring, see our New Mexico home birth midwife guide.
Bottom line: New Mexico Medicaid covers home birth attended by LMs and CNMs through the Birthing Options Program, [1] and New Mexico's CNM billing scope is the broadest in the country. [3] The state has a long tradition of community midwifery, especially in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The remaining barriers are uneven MCO administration of BOP and gaps in specific billing codes. Confirm BOP enrollment with each midwife you contact, ask about which fees are fully reimbursable, and explore Tribal Health Organization options if you're tribal-eligible.
- New Mexico Department of Health, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. State Action Plan: Perinatal/Infant Health Annual Report. 2022. View source
- New Mexico Health Care Authority, Medical Assistance Division. View source
- National Academy for State Health Policy. State Medicaid Coverage of Certified Nurse Midwives. View source
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. New Mexico Turquoise Care (formerly Centennial Care 2.0) Section 1115 Demonstration. View source
- Social Security Act § 1905(a)(17), 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(a)(17). Mandatory Medicaid coverage of nurse-midwife services. View source
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