Overdue: Medicaid and Private Insurance Coverage of Doula Care to Strengthen Maternal and Infant Health

Continuous labor support by a trained doula has proven benefits and is recognized as an effective strategy to improve maternal and infant health, enhance engagement and satisfaction with maternity care, and reduce spending. Community-based doula programs can also reduce or eliminate health disparities by providing support to women most at risk for poor outcomes. The most effective way to increase use of this evidence-based service would be to eliminate cost barriers. Key recommendations identify numerous pathways to pursue Medicaid and private insurance coverage of doula care. This comprehensive and up-to-date inventory of reimbursement options provides the doula, childbirth, and quality communities, as well as policy makers, with many approaches to increasing access to this high-value form of care.