Wellness Brief
Minnesota was first: Where doulas are covered by Medicaid
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More than half of U.S. states now reimburse for doula care under Medicaid — a dramatic shift from just a few years ago.
State of play: Minnesota was the first state to cover doula services for pregnant and postpartum patients through Medicaid, in 2014.
- A decade later, the state more than doubled its number of doula sessions without prior authorization (to 18), and raised the cost of doula services (from $411 to $3,200).
By the numbers: 28 states and D.C. are actively reimbursing as of June 1, according to the National Health Law Program. Before 2020, only Minnesota and Oregon did.
- That's "a lot of progress" in a few years, says Amy Chen, senior attorney at NHeLP.
Between the lines: "In process" states have a defined path toward coverage but aren't reimbursing yet. "Adjacent action" states have taken related steps without a concrete plan to cover doula services through Medicaid, Chen says.
What we're watching: Whether "in process" states follow through — or quietly stall, as Montana already has amid President Trump's cuts to Medicaid.