Bill > S782

This bill aims to provide Medicaid coverage for doula services in Massachusetts. It defines "doula services" as physical, emotional, and informational support provided by trained doulas during and after pregnancy, labor, childbirth, miscarriage, stillbirth, or pregnancy loss. The bill requires the state's Medicaid program (MassHealth) to cover doula services for eligible pregnant and postpartum individuals, including those not otherwise eligible due to immigration status. It also establishes a Doula Advisory Committee to advise MassHealth on various aspects of the doula coverage program, such as service scope, workforce development, and data collection. Additionally, the bill creates a Doula Workforce Development Trust Fund to support comprehensive doula training, recruitment, and retention, particularly in communities with high concentrations of MassHealth members and poor maternal and infant outcomes. Finally, the bill grants patients the right to have their birth doula's continuous presence during labor and delivery, and prohibits healthcare facilities from placing undue burdens on doulas' access to clinical labor and delivery settings.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S782