Many states cover doula care, but access is often out of reach
· Medical Xpressby Rachel Spears
edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Alexander Pol
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Doula care has been associated with improved breastfeeding initiation and less maternal anxiety. Perinatal doula care includes education about pregnancy and birth, advocacy for new parents in the hospital, and help after delivery with lactation and recovery. Doulas often work alongside doctors or midwives who provide medical care.
In 2022, Virginia became the fourth state to start reimbursing doulas through Medicaid. A push to address the country's maternal mortality rates, which are higher than in other high-income countries, has been an engine for lawmakers looking to give women on Medicaid the support of doula care. For example, another Virginia law requires hospitals to allow an extra person, other than a family member, in the delivery room.
The services offered and the number of visits covered by Medicaid vary by state, but today doulas are covered in 26 states and Washington, D.C. An additional 20 states have considered proposals or are in the process of implementing similar policies.
In Virginia, doulas say the administrative and logistical challenges they encounter are trickling down to moms. A review of the Virginia Certification Board's Doula Registry this June found just 19 doulas based in Northern Virginia accept payment from Medicaid.
Doulas say that while Medicaid coverage of their services is a good first step, the amount of paperwork required in the approval process and the low reimbursement rates mean fewer doulas participate in the Medicaid program, reducing access for beneficiaries.
A 2021 law that extended doula benefits to Medicaid enrollees sought to improve the health of Virginia parents and decrease the number of mothers who die during the time surrounding birth. The state's maternal mortality rate is among the nation's highest.
To access doula services in Virginia, parents on Medicaid must have a referral from a doctor, and their doula must be approved by the state to care for Medicaid beneficiaries.
While pursuing her Ph.D. at George Mason University, Desirae Leaphart Mensah studied the initial implementation of the doula reimbursement policy in Virginia.
Mensah collected data from 2022 to 2024. She interviewed doulas eager to serve clients on Medicaid. But some told her they got bogged down in the paperwork and were never certified. Doulas report similar struggles with the certification process today.
Mensah said the mismatch between the size of the Medicaid population in Northern Virginia and the low number of doulas available leads to fewer parents receiving doula care.
Coverage is a good first step, Mensah noted, but it doesn't translate to enough access. During the first two years of implementation, fewer than 1% of Medicaid births in Virginia used doula services. That study is the latest available.
Kenda Denia, executive director of Birth in Color, a statewide doula collective in Virginia, welcomed the law at first.
"But now we're looking at certain logistics that are not working," Denia said.
Private-pay doulas in Virginia commonly charge $1,200 to $3,000 per pregnancy. For families wanting more extensive prenatal or postpartum services, the fee can be as much as $6,000. Virginia's Medicaid program, also known as Cardinal Care, reimburses doulas $859 per pregnancy. They receive an additional $100 if their client attends prenatal and postpartum doctors' visits.
The pay is too low and does not reflect the value of the services doulas provide, Denia said.
"Midwives don't get paid this. Doctors don't get paid this," she explained. "We are driving to people's homes for postpartum and prenatal care."
Doulas might wait weeks or months for reimbursement, and the pay is not flexible. The Medicaid reimbursement rate is the same across the state and does not capture the higher cost of living in areas like Alexandria. It's roughly 32% more expensive in Alexandria than the average cost of living in Virginia, according to ERI Economic Research Institute, a private data analytics group.
Despite the barriers, Denia applauded parts of the policy. Medicaid coverage of doulas means more parents can have a "birthing bestie," she said.
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