An Act relative to insurance coverage for doula services
H 4344 requires all health insurance policies in Massachusetts (including employer plans and MassHealth) to cover doula services without cost-sharing like deductibles or copays. It mandates a minimum of 20 hours of prenatal/postpartum support per pregnancy, continuous labor support, and reimbursement at MassHealth rates, while prohibiting referrals and additional credentialing requirements. The bill directly affects insurers, policyholders, and doulas by standardizing coverage for non-medical support during pregnancy, birth, adoption, loss, and postpartum care. Key provisions include eliminating prior authorization for coverage and requiring policies to follow state-developed doula credentialing standards.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jul 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jul 31, 2025
Last action Dec 4, 2025
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
4
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Dec 4, 2025
Committee
Committee recommended bill ought to pass and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
lower
Jul 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing
lower
Jul 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from the committee on Financial Services
lower
0 primary · 13 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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