New York A 5709: Establishes a work group to set reimbursement rates for doulas in the state Medicaid program and address other criteria related to their practice

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A05709 Summary:

BILL NOA05709A

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SAME ASSAME AS S09868

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SPONSORSolages

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COSPNSRShimsky, Gonzalez-Rojas, Cunningham, McDonough, Giglio, Walker, Raga, Novakhov, Bichotte Hermelyn,
 Meeks, Clark, Reyes

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MLTSPNSR

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&nbsp

Establishes a 14 member doula Medicaid reimbursement work group within the department of health to set reimbursement rates for doulas in the state Medicaid program and address other criteria related to their practice; requires the work group to conduct a study and evaluate the costs, benefits and issues that may be associated with Medicaid reimbursement for doulas and for providing doula care to Medicaid recipients; makes related provisions.

Go to top A05709 Actions:

BILL NOA05709A

&nbsp

02/20/2025referred to health

01/07/2026referred to health

05/20/2026amend and recommit to health

05/20/2026print number 5709a

Go to topA05709 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA05709 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA05709 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 5709--A

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 February 20, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES, SHIMSKY, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, CUNNINGHAM,
 McDONOUGH, GIGLIO, WALKER, RAGA, NOVAKHOV, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, MEEKS,
 CLARK, REYES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health --
 recommitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with Assembly
 Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
 reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to establish a work group to set reimbursement rates for doulas
 in the state Medicaid program and address other criteria related to
 their practice

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The legislature acknowledges the excluded history that
 2 healthcare workers and doulas have as members of historically excluded
 3 communities, and acknowledges the exclusionary forces these professions
 4 have had in gaining the recognition, certification, and equitable
 5 compensation for the critical work they do in pregnancy, maternal
 6 health, maternal mental health, and childcare. The legislature declares
 7 that it is the purpose of this work group to examine and recommend the
 8 best practices for integrating doulas into New York state's Medicaid
 9 healthcare system and ensuring the state is prepared and ready to
 10 elevate the critical work doulas perform across historically excluded
 11 communities across the state of New York.
 12 § 2. There is hereby established in the department of health, the
 13 doula Medicaid reimbursement work group, hereinafter referred to as the
 14 "work group." The majority of the members of the work group shall be
 15 composed of doulas, as well as multi-disciplinary experts in the field
 16 of doula services and maternal health who serve and are representative
 17 of the racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic diversity of birth-
 18 ing people in communities across the state served by the state's Medi-
 19 caid program.
 20 § 3. The work group shall be composed of fourteen members, which shall
 21 include eight members to be appointed by the governor as follows:
 22 a. the commissioner of the department of health or their designee;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01902-02-6

 A. 5709--A 2

 1 b. five representatives who may either be practicing doulas, or doulas
 2 in training, or individuals with expertise in the field of doula
 3 services;
 4 c. one representative serving maternal health needs;
 5 d. one representative from the medical insurance industry;
 6 e. and six additional members, three appointed on the recommendation
 7 of the temporary president of the senate; and three appointed on the
 8 recommendation of the speaker of the assembly.
 9 § 4. The governor shall designate the commissioner of the department
 10 of health or their designee, as chair of the board. Members of the work
 11 group shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be
 12 reimbursed for actual expenses incurred during the performance of their
 13 duties on the work group. Reimbursement shall