Joho the Blog
An Entry from the Archives

Tim Appnel writes about the closing of the Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center in Manhattan.

It was started 30 years ago and was the first in the US and is the only out of hospital birth center of its kind in NYC. (It shouldn't be the only one, but it is.) They are being forced to close September 1st. Their current malpractice insurer refused to renew their policy with 6 weeks left on their policy and the best quote any other would give would be a 250% plus increase, into the millions annually, for 1/6th the coverage they used to have. They simply cannot operate under those terms — they are a not-for-profit organization with 30% of patients on medicaid.

...They aren't going out with a whimper and are organizing various forms activism to bring this situation to light while trying to help patients make alternate arrangements. They want to keep these type of healthcare options available to women and their families. I've helped them setup a weblog to communicate to their patients and the public ...