Oregon SB 692 Explained: What Insurance Coverage for Doula Care Means for You
SB 692 Now in Effect
The data is clear – doula support improves outcomes for both pregnant people and newborns.
For decades, advocates, especially those in maternal and infant health, have been working to expand covered doula services for pregnant people during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Their advocacy pushed Senate Bill 692 (SB 692) forward. After being signed into law in summer of 2025, SB 692 went into effect January 2026.
Expanding Doula Support
Research shows that people who receive doula care experience lower rates of cesarean births, fewer medical interventions, shorter labors, higher breastfeeding success, and greater satisfaction with their birth experience. In communities facing disparities in maternal health outcomes, continuous support from a trained doula can be especially impactful. Yet for many families, cost has been a barrier.
Senate Bill 692 changes that. By requiring commercial insurance companies to cover doula services, Oregon is recognizing what advocates have long known: doula care is not a luxury — it is evidence-based support that improves health outcomes for parents and babies!
Breaking Down SB 692
The bill requires private insurers that already cover pregnancy and childbirth services to also cover doula services during the prenatal, birth and postpartum periods. It does not require prior authorization, referrals, or a medical signature. It requires insurers to share clear information about how policyholders can access these services.
The bill also establishes a community-based perinatal provider access program to increase culturally competent and community-specific care.
Some important things to note —although this bill is a step in the right direction, it does come with some limitations. The dollar amount paid for prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum services through doulas may vary depending on insurance. Some families may need to come up with the difference, or be limited on the choice of doulas who will accept that reimbursement price.
Insurance Compliance
It is unclear if all insurance companies will cover these services the same way. Some companies require doulas to be contracted with them and then require the doula to do the work of submitting a claim in order to be paid for services. Other companies may reimburse the family after they have paid the doula upfront. There is also a limit set for postpartum care hours. After the hours have been reached, additional coverage depends on your individual plan.
Because this bill is still new, most doulas and doula agencies aren’t fully up to speed to start working with insurance companies right away. There are still a lot of services and systems around this bill that aren’t fully built yet.
Doulas who wish to credential through insurance companies may have a many months long process ahead of them. There is also the realization that many doulas work outside of standard healthcare settings and therefore do not have the current credentials that insurance companies may need them to have in order for their services to be eligible for coverage. Credentials take time and investment, some doulas may prefer not to go this route.
SB 692 does offer a glimpse of hope for those wanting to become eligible by stating that the bill requires the Oregon Health Authority to provide a community based perinatal access provider program to support activities that increase access to culturally specific perinatal services and culturally competent perinatal services providers. Grants under this support can include paying for costs related to training, books, certifications, and fees for individuals training to provide perinatal services.
Photo by Tanya Hladik
What Can Pregnant People Do?
Reach out to your insurance company and ask for transparency about how much doula support is covered, at what amount, and what the process is for reimbursement.
To get a clear determination and guarantee of coverage, commercial insurance plans may recommend that their members have a medical provider (such as a midwife, OB, or primary care provider) submit a pre-determination request on the member’s behalf.
Expanded Lactation Support
It’s also a good idea to ask about Lactation services! IBCLC’s are the top tier of lactation professionals and are usually covered by insurance. SB 692 has introduced the idea that education from Lactation Educators and Lactation Counselors can also be covered by insurance. It is important to understand that these titles mean different accreditation levels and education. Ask for reimbursement rates and coverage for each of these professional levels of lactation service.
