Medicaid bill mandating postpartum doula services advances through Virginia legislature

Legislation introduced by State Del. Adele Y. McClure would expand Medicaid coverage to include a full spectrum of postpartum doula services and support, according to the Virginia State House.

The bill cleared both chambers, with the House voting 96-0 and the Senate 40-0, and was formally enrolled as of March 30, 2026.

Filed as HB838 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the General Assembly’s regular session, the bill was described by the state legislature as: “State plan for medical assistance services; adds provision related to doula care.”

Below is a summary of the bill’s provisions, based on a review of the actual bill text for clarity.

The measure directs Virginia’s Medicaid state plan to include comprehensive community doula support for pregnant and postpartum members. Doula care under this legislation encompasses emotional and physical assistance, help with infant care, guidance on breastfeeding and safe sleep, education and referrals related to postpartum mental health, advice on recovery, nutrition and self-care, culturally responsive personalized help, and connecting members to community resources. Medicaid will pay for support during labor and delivery as well as up to 10 doula visits, up to four during pregnancy and up to six within 12 months post-birth. Additional visits are permitted if medically necessary. It also authorizes up to two incentive payments to doulas for efforts linking families to postpartum and newborn care. The Department of Medical Assistance Services must report annually on service usage, health outcomes, participant feedback, and make recommendations.

In the House, 61 Democrats and 35 Republicans endorsed the legislation.

In the Senate, 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans supported the bill.

The measure was backed by Del. Adele Y. McClure (Democrat-2nd District), Del. Kathy K.L. Tran (Democrat-18th District), Del. Marcia S. “Cia” Price (Democrat-85th District) and three additional patrons.

McClure earned her BS from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2011.

The Democrat was elected in 2024 to represent Virginia’s 2nd House district, succeeding previous delegate Candi King.

In Virginia, the legislative process starts when a bill is brought before either the House of Delegates or Senate. The bill is assigned for committee review and may be amended. If a committee approves it, the measure advances to both legislative chambers for debate and voting. Passage in both sends the bill to the governor, who can sign, veto or allow it to become law without signature. The assembly meets annually beginning the second Monday in January, considering hundreds of legislative items, but only a subset becomes law.

Information in this article was drawn from the Virginia State House. Source documentation is available here.