Less than 10 years ago, the landscape for doula care looked so different than it does today. Most people asssociated doulas with home birth, midwifery, and crunchy living communities. Today, thanks in part to fertility benefits, more families have access to birth, postpartum and fertility doula support, without significant financial sacrifice. 

When speaking with your HR Rep., or reading throught the benefits in a handbook, look specifically for Fertility Benefits. These may be named Carrot, Wynn, Proginy or Maven. The benefit is offered by many more employers in the last couple of years – with lifetime benefits ranging from $10,000 to $90,000 or a more specific per-pregnancy limit that will reimburse your doula costs as long as your doula meets certain criteria,. This is in addition to your health insurance.

Typically, if you have a fertility benefit, the company will outline the credentials required from your selected birth and/or postpartum doula. Common requirements include insurance, CPR certification, doula certification with a organization that has been well-established like DONA, CAPPA, or ICEA. The benefit covers expenses incurred and paid for within the pregnancy, or a certain number of weeks postpartum. 

If you plan to use insurance to cover your costs for doula care, be certain to keep your emails from the representative, as well as copies of all information you send to them via hard mail or email. Whenever possible, ask your provider for a letter of medical necessity.