Senate Passes Doula Services Bill

The Senate unanimously passed a bill sponsored by House Majority Whip Melissa Minor-Brown and Sen. Marie Pinkney, House Bill 80, that would require Medicaid to cover doula services in Delaware, starting Jan. 1, 2024. 

Doulas are trained, non-clinical professionals who provide positive, nurturing environments before, during and after birth. Studies have shown that hiring a doula during pregnancy can reduce infant and maternal mortality and complications. 

Under HB 80, all insurance carriers would be required to cover doula services for at least three prenatal visits, three postpartum visits and attendance through labor and birth. The bill also would require the state Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance to establish a process for doula certification and set reimbursement rates that support a livable, annual income for full-time practicing doulas.  

House Bill 80 – Requiring Medicaid Coverage of Doula Services	Currrent Status – House Passed 40-0-1. Senate Passed 21-0. Sent to the Governor
House Sponsors – Minor-Brown, Neal, Baumbach, Longhurst, Romer, Heffernan, Morrison, Phillips, Wilson-Anton	Senate Sponsors – Pinkney, Brown, Townsend, Gay, Hansen, Hoffner, Richardson
House Yes Votes – Baumbach Bolden Bush Carson Chukwuocha Cooke Dorsey-Walker Griffith Harris Johnson Lambert Longhurst Lynn Matthews Minor-Brown Moore Morrison Neal Osienski Parker-Selby Phillips Romer Schwartzkopf Williams Wilson-Anton // Briggs King Collins Dukes Gray Hensley Hilovsky Morris Postles Ramone Short Shupe Smith Spiegelman Vanderwende Yearick	Senate Yes Votes – Brown Gay Hansen Hoffner Huxtable Lockman Mantzavinos McBride Paradee Pinkney Poore Sokola Sturgeon Townsend Walsh // Buckson Hocker Lawson Pettyjohn Richardon Wilson
House No Votes – None	Senate No Votes – None
House Absents or Not Voting – Heffernan	Senate Absent or Not Voting – None

“Doulas save lives – especially the lives of Black women,” Sen. Pinkney said. “Every parent should be able to afford this lifesaving service and I am grateful to my colleagues in the Delaware General Assembly for voting to provide families affordable access to the kind of care and support they need to help bring everyone through birth and back home safely.”