Benefits & Insurance
Wondering how to pay for doula support? It may be easier than you think! At Baby Caravan, we’re committed to helping families explore every option to make doula support more accessible and affordable, because every family deserves compassionate, expert care during birth and postpartum.
Whether through your employee benefits, insurance plan, or health savings account, you may be able to receive full or partial reimbursement for doula care.*
Employee Benefits (Carrot, Maven, Progyny & more)
More and more employers are supporting growing families by partnering with benefits platforms like Carrot, Maven, and Progyny. These programs often include doula care reimbursement as part of their fertility, pregnancy, or postpartum coverage. While each program is a little different, they all require that the doula is certified and up-to-date on their CPR training and liability insurance.
These programs are similar to an out-of-network benefit with insurance in that the benefits provider reimburses you for the cost of doula support. You are responsible for any upfront costs (like a deposit to secure time in your doula’s schedule) and your doula will submit an invoice to your benefits provider to ensure that you are reimbursed.
Over 75% of our team of doulas are eligible to work with Carrot, Maven, and/or Progyny. To learn more about using benefits to pay for doula services, click here.
Private Insurance Coverage
Most private insurance plans still do not automatically cover doula services, but it’s always worth checking. Because doulas are not licensed medical providers, insurance companies do not have billing codes that they routinely use for doulas. That being said, some insurance companies are making strides to offer coverage and/or reimbursement for doula support.
We recommend reaching out to your insurance company to understand your coverage and benefits (you’ll want to do this anyway for your new arrival’s insurance plan!) and ask if doula support is included. In cases where there is coverage, this is usually offered as an out-of-network reimbursement, so be prepared to pay the upfront costs yourself.
Some questions to ask your insurance rep if they’ve told you doula support is covered:
Is doula care an out-of-network benefit?
Are there specific credential requirements?
How is billing handled?
Your insurance carrier should provide clear written guidelines so you can verify whether your doula fits the requirements for coverage.
FSA/HSA Funds
If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA), doula services often qualify. Many of our doulas can typically accept direct payment from an FSA or HSA card. Those who do not take direct payment via a FSA or HSA debit card can offer any documentation or invoicing needed to be reimbursed for services.
Medicaid Doula Programs
Some states are expanding Medicaid coverage for doulas through maternal health initiatives and we’re happy to say that New York State is one of them! To learn more about the NYS Medicaid Doula program click here.
Still have questions?
We’re happy to help you understand what’s possible in terms of working with a doula.