What's happening
This bill adds doulas as Medicaid medical service providers in New York and requires Medicaid to cover doula care.
Why it matters
Expands access to non-clinical, culturally competent birth support. by recognizing doulas—who provide emotional, informational, and physical support during pregnancy and childbirth—as Medicaid providers, potentially improving birth outcomes, especially for marginalized communities.
Could help address racial and socioeconomic disparities in maternal health. by making doula services available to low-income individuals covered by Medicaid, groups that statistically face higher risks of poor maternal and infant outcomes.
Requires state agencies to actively pursue federal approval and update regulations. , ensuring that implementation is not just authorized but prioritized, which may speed up availability and integration of doula services into Medicaid.
May lead to broader systemic changes. in how maternity care is delivered and valued, as Medicaid coverage could drive greater professionalization, demand, and data collection around doula services, influencing future maternal health policy.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Add Doulas to Medicaid
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Add Doulas to Medicaid
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Michaelle C. Solages
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5656
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 10, 2019
Introduced by Sens. PERSAUD, GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to including doulas as medical services providers for Medicaid recipients; directing the commissioner of health to submit an application for amendments and waivers to add doulas to state Medicaid coverage; and directing the commissioner of health and the commissioner of the office of children and family services to add, amend and/or repeal any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 364-j of the social services law, as amended by chapter 653 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
(d) "Medical services provider". A physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, licensed midwife, doula, dentist, optometrist or other licensed health care practitioner authorized to provide medical assistance services.
§ 2. The commissioner of health is directed to apply for such state Medicaid plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act and include doula care as a covered service under the state Medicaid plan, and to secure federal financial participation for state Medicaid expenditures for doula care under the federal Medicaid program.
§ 3. Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed by the commissioner of health and the state commissioner of children and family services on or before such date.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that section one of this act shall take effect upon receipt by the commissioner of health
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05347-01-9
S. 5656 2
of approval from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to include doula care as a covered service under the state Medicaid plan; provided, further, that the amendments to section 364-j of the social services law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith. The commissioner of health shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the receipt of such approval in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to including doulas as medical services providers for Medicaid recipi- ents; directing the commissioner of health to submit an application for amendments and waivers to add doulas to state Medicaid coverage; and directing the commissioner of health and the commissioner of the office of children and family services to add, amend and/or repeal any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act
Purpose or general idea of bill
To include doulas as medical service providers for Medicaid recipients.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 364-J of the social services law, as amended by chapter 653 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
Read the full memo (732 words)
(d) "Medical Services provider". A physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, licensed midwife, doula, dentist, optometrist, or other licensed health care practitioner authorized to provide medical assistance services.
Section 2. The commissioner of health is directed to apply for state Medicaid Plan amendments of waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act and include doula care as a covered service under the state Medicaid plan, and to secure federal financial participation for state Medicaid expenditures for doula care under the federal Medi- caid program.
Section 3. The commissioner of health and the commissioner of social services shall acid, amend, and/or repeal any rule or regulation neces- sary for implementation of this act
Justification
This bill provides for the expansion of the State Medicaid program to include coverage for doula care.
A doula is a trained professional who provides continuvp, physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before)-' during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satis- fying experience possible.
Countless scientific trials examining doula care demonstrate improved physical and psychological outcomes for both mother For example, a Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women Childbirth, found an unusually high number of positive birth when a doula was present. With the support of a doula, women likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less have a cesarean birth.remarkably and baby. During outcomes were less likely to
In addition, consider the sobering data that shows black women in NYC are 12 times as likely to die from child-birth related causes as white women. According to the New York Times, black women experience severe, life-threatening complications from pregnancy and childbirth in about 387 out of every 10,000 births, according to city data. That is triple the rate of white New Yorkers.
Some states have provided Medicaid coverage for doula services, includ- ing Minnesota and Oregon, with some demonstrable success. According to one study in Minnesota, patients with doulas are 22 percent less likely to have a premature birth and 56 percent less likely to have a C-sec- tion, compared to Medicaid beneficiaries without a doula. As of this year, NY is piloting a program that provides Medicaid re-imbursement for doulas, under the direction of the Governor. Barring negative results from that pilot, the program should be expanded statewide.
It is vital that we help women receive proper attention and care during and after pregnancy. Regardless of the socioeconomic status, a woman should not be subject to limited birthing support. This legislation will offer low-income mothers the opportunity to be cared for by licensed doulas.
Prior legislative history
2019-2020 Session- A4408 (Solages)/ (Persaud) 2017-2018 Session- A10504(Solages)/ (No Senate Same-As)
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately. Providing that section one of this act shall take effect upon receipt by the commissioner of health of approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to include doula care as a covered service under the state Medicaid plan; provided, further, that the amendments to section 364-j of the social services law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith. The commissioner of health shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the receipt of such approval in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provision of section 44 of the Legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.