UnitedHealthcare expands doula coverage, boosting maternal health efforts

UnitedHealthcare recently announced a change in their healthcare plans that cover doula care.

The health insurance provider now offers employer-sponsored plans that cover doula services similar to Cigna and Elevance Health that have also expanded coverage.

Sekesa Berry, founder and executive director of the Georgia Black Doula Network, said this will encourage hospitals and nonprofits to provide the service option.

“It’s exciting,” she said, “and truthfully, I believe it’s going to create more sustainability in the work. One of the greatest hurdles for doulas is the entrepreneurial capacity because so few places actually hire doulas. So I think this opportunity to receive insurance coverage is going to help them sustain their practice.”

Dr. Lisa Saul, chief medical director for women’s health at UnitedHealthcare, said with the U.S. having the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, the change in their coverage will hopefully improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Research shows that doula support can help reduce complications.

“With the United States having the highest maternal mortality rate, as well as maternal morbidity rate, among high-income countries,” she said, “we know that most of these deaths and most of these scenarios are considered to be preventable.”

Berry started her organization to help address Georgia’s maternal health crisis. Her group has trained dozens of doulas, but she said that many new doulas burn out because they can’t make a sustainable living. She said she hopes the insurance coverage can help change that.

The Georgia Black Doula Network is accepting applications for its third doula training cohort through May 1.