New York S 9868: 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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S09868 Summary:

BILL NOS09868 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A05709-A

&nbsp

SPONSORBROUK

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

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 S09868 Actions:

BILL NOS09868 

&nbsp

04/09/2026REFERRED TO HEALTH

Go to topS09868 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS09868 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS09868 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9868

 IN SENATE

 April 9, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. BROUK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

 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;
 23 b. five representatives who may either be practicing doulas, or doulas
 24 in training, or individuals with expertise in the field of doula
 25 services;
 26 c. one representative serving maternal health needs;
 27 d. one representative from the medical insurance industry;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01902-03-6

 S. 9868 2

 1 e. and six additional members, three appointed on the recommendation
 2 of the temporary president of the senate; and three appointed on the
 3 recommendation of the speaker of the assembly.
 4 § 4. The governor shall designate the commissioner of the department
 5 of health or their designee, as chair of the board. Members of the work
 6 group shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be
 7 reimbursed for actual expenses incurred during the performance of their
 8 duties on the work group. Reimbursement shall allow for historically
 9 excluded communities to participate wholly in the performance of their
 10 duties on the work group by providing, if necessary, reimbursements for
 11 reasonable expenses incurred that may include, but not be limited to,
 12 travel, meals and lodging.
 13 § 5. Appointments shall be made within ninety days of the effective
 14 date of this act. Vacancies in the work group shall be filled in the
 15 same manner provided for original appointments. The appointee makeup of
 16 the work group shall be majori