Committee advances bill to certify community-based perinatal doulas and seek Medicaid coverage

The House Appropriations Committee on May 14 voted to report favorably on S.53, a bill that would create a voluntary certification for community-based perinatal doulas and require the Vermont Medicaid program to seek a state plan amendment to reimburse certified doulas for perinatal services.

At issue is whether the Office of Professional Regulation will create a certification pathway and whether the Department of Vermont Health Access will secure federal approval so Medicaid can reimburse doula services. "This is ... an act relating to certification of community based perinatal doulas and Medicaid coverage for doula services," said Jen Carvey, office legislative counsel, as she summarized the bill and its structure for the committee.

Why it matters: supporters say certified doulas can provide nonclinical emotional, physical and informational support during pregnancy, childbirth and up to one year postpartum for under-resourced and marginalized populations. Proponents and the fiscal analysis cited research associating doula…