Mia Bloomer, a low-income California resident, utilized Medi-Cal to hire doula Priya Kalyan-Masih during her pregnancy, a service she had access to since January. Bloomer’s partner was imprisoned during her pregnancy, but Kalyan-Masih provided support and included him in the birth experience. California’s Medicaid program compensates doulas with fixed rates for service and during labor and delivery. Samsarah Morgan, a doula, said Medi-Cal’s reimbursement rates may deter some doulas from participating in the program. Data on the impact of these services is forthcoming. Bloomer wishes she had had a doula during her previous pregnancies for better support. This is part of a series exploring the impact of California’s safety-net health program on enrollees.
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New Doula Benefit ‘Life-Changing’ for California Mom
