Maryland Medicaid
DouldID engages with Maryland Medicaid.
In response to this health disparity, Medicaid in Maryland and 11 other states have initiated coverage for doula services. In Maryland, Medicaid reimburses $800 per birth and up to $627 for eight prenatal/postpartum services visits. Not only will the Maryland Medicaid program create sustainable pathways to jobs and income for doulas, it will also create opportunities for more low income birthing people to access doula care.
Since the start of the Maryland program in February 2022, very few doulas are registered with Medicaid and/or have received reimbursement for their services. Doulas face many challenges in navigating the Medicaid enrollment process, including training and certification management; administrative responsibilities to Medicaid and managed care organizations (MCO); and effective client engagement.
DoulaID is currently completing a pilot effort to manually register Baltimore doulas with Medicaid. This manual process will be the basis for the Medicaid registration guide for certified doulas. This DoulaID guide will list the necessary steps as well as provide helpful tips and contact information. We will work closely with certified doulas who use the app, to collect and prioritize their feedback to continue to iterate through their experience with our development team.
DoulaID is designed to make engaging with healthcare systems approachable for Doulas and their clients. By reducing the complexity and time to complete the registration, certification, and payment process, more doulas can reach the underserved communities that need them most.
In collaboration with MOMCares, DoulaID's co-founder, Annie Byrd, developed a report that outlined the barriers and improvements to the Maryland Medicaid Doula Benefit. The report can be viewed here.
The Medicaid Market is expanding.
Medicaid coverage for doula services is expanding in the U.S. Currently there are 9 states in which Medicaid reimburses for doula services and this market is expanding rapidly. Doulas are seen as a key component to reducing MMR nationwide. DoulaID hopes to expand into other state markets to support doulas and birthing people.
Last updated January 2023
