There’s one more bureaucratic hurdle to clear before the state can fully implement the policy: enrolling certified community-based doulas in the program.
The Arkansas Legislative Council on Friday approved the rules for Medicaid’s coverage of doulas, part of a 2025 law requiring the program and private insurance to cover such services for Arkansans. The council’s rules subcommittee gave preliminary approval Thursday.
Doulas provide emotional, physical, educational and logistical support to parents-to-be and serve as middlemen between them and other medical professionals. The coverage requirement law was aimed at improving the state’s maternal health outcomes.
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