Montana Advances Doula Medicaid Payments Amid Potential Service Cuts
Montana officials have decided to proceed with plans to allow Medicaid to cover doula services, reversing an earlier decision to pause the initiative due to budget constraints. The state Department of Public Health and Human Services is preparing a request for federal approval to include doula care in its Medicaid program, which is estimated to cost $118,000 in its first year. This decision comes after state lawmakers approved a bill last year to expand Medicaid to cover doula services, particularly to address the scarcity of maternity services in rural and Indigenous communities. Despite this progress, the state faces a Medicaid budget deficit exceeding $177 million, prompting a review of all optional Medicaid services, including doula care, as potential areas for cuts. 
