Legislation
It is crucial that our lawmakers understand the important role doulas play in safe, effective, and convenient maternal care in Indiana. IN4Doulas advocates, communicates, and tracks legislation that addresses the needs of Indiana families and doula services. We work with our lawmakers to provide them with all necessary data to introduce, support, and pass effective legislation for Indiana families
House Bill No. 1178Author: Rep. SummersHouse Public Health Committee
Beginning in 2024, hospitals that provide inpatient maternity services and a birthing center must implement an evidence-based implicit bias training program for all health care providers who provide perinatal treatment and care.
Bills Passed
Indiana passed legislation as of July 1st 2019 to support Medicaid reimbursement of doula workforce through Senate enrolled Act No. 416
Please check this Link for more details.
Indiana Maternal Child Health House Bills:
The legislation allows an employee to request an accommodation for pregnancy. It requires employers to respond to an employee’s request for an accommodation within a reasonable time frame. In addition, it provides that a request for accommodation does not require an accommodation be made for an employee’s pregnancy, or impose a duty or obligation upon the employer to provide an accommodation or an exception to the employer’s policies, unless existing federal or state laws require that an accommodation must be made. In addition, the bill prohibits employers from disciplining, terminating, or retaliating against an employee because the employee has requested or used an accommodation for pregnancy.
Status: The bill passed the House 95-2.
Indiana Maternal Child Health Senate Bills:
The bill requires the following:
- Includes reporting to the Statewide Maternal Mortality Review Committee for the release of mental health records without the consent of the patient.
- The committee is to review all cases of maternal death, including cases of maternal mortality involving the death of a woman occurring during pregnancy, through one year after the pregnancy.
- Health care providers and health facilities are to report deaths during pregnancy, through one year after a pregnancy, to the committee for review.
- In reviewing records, the committee will include information from mental health professionals.
- The committee is to (1) determine whether an abortion was performed on an individual and whether the abortion contributed to the maternal mortality; (2) determine whether a miscarriage occurred and whether the miscarriage contributed to the maternal mortality; and (3) include the findings in the committee’s annual report.
- The Statewide Maternal Mortality Review Coordinator is to establish a process to report cases to the committee.
- Changes the expiration date of the Statewide Maternal Mortality Review Committee to June 30, 2025.
Status: The bill was amended in the House after passing the Senate.
Proposed Bills needing Support
Indiana Maternal Child Health House Bills:
The bill provides Medicaid coverage for an eligible pregnant woman for the duration of the pregnancy and for the one-year postpartum period that begins on the last day of the pregnancy (current law is 60 days coverage), without regard to any change in income of the family of which she is a member during that time.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session.
The bill prohibits employers from discriminating against a pregnant job applicant or employee. It also requires an employer to provide reasonable employment accommodations for a pregnant employee, and requires the Indiana Civil Rights Commission to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session.
The legislation requires the state employee health plan, insurance policies, and HMOs to provide coverage for services provided by a doula to an insured individual before, during, and after childbirth. Hospitals to are to allow a doula to accompany a patient at the hospital, including attending a live birth, at the request of the patient.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session.
The bill requires employers to provide reasonable employment accommodations for a pregnant employee. It requires the Department of Labor to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve complaints through the use of an administrative law judge. It allows for appeals.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session
The legislation provides protections for pregnant inmates. The Dept. of Correction, county jails, juvenile detention centers, or juvenile detention facilities are to undertake the following: (1) use the least restrictive restraints necessary on a pregnant inmate when the pregnant inmate is in the second or third trimester of pregnancy; or (2) no restraints on a pregnant inmate who is in labor, delivering a baby, recuperating from a delivery, or dealing with a medical emergency related to the pregnancy, with certain exceptions. In addition, the Dept. of Correction, county jails, juvenile detention centers, or juvenile detention facilities are to provide specific care, treatment, and education for pregnant inmates and inmates who have recently given birth. It also establishes the Women’s Prison Oversight Advisory Committee.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session.
Indiana Maternal Child Health Senate Bills:
The bill requires employers to provide reasonable employment accommodations for pregnant employees. The Indiana Department of Labor is to investigate complaints, and attempt to resolve complaints through the use of an administrative law judge. It allows for appeals.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session.
The legislation requires the state employee health plan, insurance policies, and HMOs to provide coverage for services provided by a doula to a covered individual before, during, and after childbirth. In addition, it requires Medicaid reimbursement for doula services (current law only allows for reimbursement). The Secretary of FSSA is to establish a separate category within Medicaid for doulas to be reimbursed, and to establish and maintain a doula registry.
Status: The bill was not passed out of committee before the deadline and is no longer active for this session.