Testimony of State Health Department Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Dr. Ursula E. Bauer on the State Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Executive Budget Proposal on Doulas

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 7, 2023) – New York State Health Department Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Dr. Ursula E. Bauer, PhD, MPH, today provided testimony on Governor Hochul's Executive Budget proposal to expand Medicaid doula coverage statewide and increase the reimbursement from $600 to as high as $1,500 per pregnancy, including coverage for prenatal, labor and delivery, and post-partum visits.

In her testimony Dr. Bauer said, “To address the crisis of poor maternal outcomes, public health professionals and lawmakers are increasingly looking to doula care as a promising, cost-effective intervention. Doulas—also known as birth companions or birth coaches—are non-medical personnel who assist and support a pregnant person before, during and after childbirth by providing physical, emotional, and informational support. Doula services have been shown to increase positive health outcomes, including reducing birth complications for the mother and the baby. The beneficial impact of such support is increasingly recognized. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that continuous doula support during pregnancy is associated with improved outcomes for people giving birth.”

Read the full written testimony here.