(a) No later than April 1, 2023, and until June 30, 2025, the State Department of Health Care Services shall convene a workgroup to examine the implementation of the doula benefit provided under the Medi-Cal program. The workgroup shall be comprised of doulas, health care providers, consumer and community advocates, health plans, county representatives, and other stakeholders with experience with doula services as determined by the department.

(b) The workgroup shall consider all of the following:

(1) Ensuring that doula services are available to Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are eligible for and want doula services.

(2) Minimizing barriers and delays in payments to a Medi-Cal doula or in reimbursement to Medi-Cal recipients for doula services received.

(3) Making recommendations for outreach efforts so that all Medi-Cal recipients within the eligible and other target populations are aware of the option to use doula services.

(c) (1) No later than July 1, 2025, the department shall publish a report that provides the number of Medi-Cal recipients utilizing doula services, broken down by race, ethnicity, primary language, health plan, and county. The report shall also identify any barriers that impede access to doula services in the prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum periods and make recommendations to the department and the Legislature to reduce any identified barriers.

(2) The report shall provide a numerical comparison in the birthing outcomes of Medi-Cal recipients who receive doula services with those who do not, including, but not limited to, rates of cesarean delivery births, maternal or infant mortality, other maternal morbidity, and, to the extent available through information voluntarily provided by the Medi-Cal recipient, breast and chest feeding outcomes.

(3) The report shall utilize standard public health reporting practices for accurate dissemination of these data elements, especially with regard to the reporting of small numbers so as to avoid inadvertently risking a breach of confidentiality or other disclosure.

(4) The department shall post this report on the department’s internet website.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January, 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed. The repeal of this section shall not prevent the department from continuing to convene the workgroup referenced in subdivision (a) or issuing reports referenced in subdivision (c), should the department determine that either activity is helpful or necessary in order to monitor, evaluate, or expand access to Medi-Cal doula services.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 42, Sec. 144. (AB 118) Effective July 10, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)