Bill > HR2469

This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study on abortion doula care, which is emotional, social, and practical support provided by trained professionals to individuals before, during, and after abortion procedures. The bill recognizes that abortion doulas play a critical role in supporting patients, particularly in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court decision, which has made abortion access more challenging. The study will assess the impact of abortion doula care on patient well-being, the quality of care, and the availability of doula services across the United States. The Secretary will collect data through surveys, interviews, and academic literature review, consulting with experts in reproductive health, maternal health, mental health, and social work. The bill also acknowledges existing barriers to doula care, such as limited awareness, high costs, and insufficient insurance coverage, with a particular focus on marginalized communities. Within 18 months of enactment, the Secretary must submit a report to congressional committees detailing the study's findings, potential benefits and challenges of abortion doula care, recommendations for increasing access, and policy suggestions for state Medicaid programs. The report will be made publicly accessible, with strict patient privacy protections to ensure anonymity of collected data.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2469/all-info