To participate in New York State’s doula program, a doula must be enrolled as a provider in the state Medicaid program. During the pilot project, the reimbursement for doulas for eight visits plus labor and delivery was $606.
“The fees that were associated with the pilot reimbursement were determined in 2018 with the state investment that was available at the time to support those services,” said Jennifer Mane, the Bureau Director of Office of Healt Insurance Programs at the New York State Department of Health.
Critics worried that such reimbursement rates affect doulas’ willingness to participate in Medicaid. “The reimbursement rates are too low. Our organization relies on funding in addition to the reimbursement to pay our doulas,” said Julissa Vazquez-Coplin, the manager of the Priscilla Project Manager at Jericho Road Community Health Center in Country, which provides a free culturally.
