A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning human services.
Summary
SB 155 requires the Indiana office of the secretary of family and social services to develop and implement a doula program. The program must include recruitment of doulas, eligibility standards such as certification or registration, training requirements, a doula certification body, client outreach, a process for matching doulas with pregnant Medicaid recipients, and caseload and reimbursement rates.
The bill also requires an enrollment process so doulas can receive Medicaid reimbursement during the 12-month postpartum period, including reimbursement for telehealth services. In practical terms, the measure creates a state-administered framework for integrating doula services into Medicaid-covered maternal care and postpartum support.
Impact
The bill adds a new section to Indiana Code 12-8-1.5 and directs the office of the secretary of family and social services to establish a statewide doula program. It would affect Medicaid administration, postpartum care services, and the reimbursement structure for doulas serving pregnant and postpartum Medicaid recipients, including telehealth-based services. The bill does not itself set all program details, but it mandates that the agency create the operational standards and enrollment process.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a maternal health and Medicaid access initiative rather than a controversial policy change. The overall tone of the bill is supportive of expanding care options for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid recipients by formalizing doula participation and reimbursement.
Contention
No committee transcripts or vote history were provided, so there is no recorded public disagreement to identify. Potential points of contention, if raised later, would likely center on Medicaid costs, reimbursement rates, certification or training standards for doulas, and how the state would administer matching and enrollment processes. Another possible issue is whether telehealth reimbursement and postpartum coverage should be expanded through this program.