Does Partnership HealthPlan Cover a Doula?

Yes. Partnership HealthPlan of California covers doula care for its Medi-Cal members. You can use it if you're pregnant now or were pregnant in the past year.

Which counties does Partnership serve?

Partnership serves 24 Northern California counties: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba. Some of these counties have other Medi-Cal plans too, so check the name on your member card.

What does Partnership doula care cost?

Covered Medi-Cal doula visits generally come with no out-of-pocket cost. Some plans can have copays, though, so if you're not sure about yours, your doula or Orka can help you figure it out.

What's included

Your Partnership doula benefit covers:

• An initial visit to get to know each other
• Eight prenatal or postpartum visits, virtual or in person
• Support during labor and birth, virtual or in person
• Two extended postpartum visits of three hours each
• Abortion support
• Loss support, including after a miscarriage or stillbirth
• Nine additional postpartum visits, with an additional recommendation your doula can easily get signed

You can use these visits during pregnancy and for up to one year after your pregnancy ends. They can happen at home, in an office, at a hospital, at a birth center or online.

Do I need a doctor's recommendation?

No, not for most of your visits. You don't need a written recommendation for the visits included in the state's standing recommendation. If you want the nine additional postpartum visits, you'll need one more recommendation, and your doula can easily get it signed.

Whoever signs it doesn't have to be a Partnership provider, so a doctor, midwife or other licensed provider you already see can do it.

Does my doula have to work with Partnership?

Yes. Doulas who serve Partnership members are credentialed by the plan. If you already have a doula in mind, ask whether they work with Partnership.

How to find a Partnership HealthPlan doula

1. Call Member Services. Reach Partnership at (800) 863-4155, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
2. Check your member handbook. It explains your doula benefit, and you'll find it on Partnership's website.
3. Talk to a few doulas. Make sure they're free around your due date. If they live far from you, ask whether they offer virtual visits.

What a doula does

A doula gives you non-medical support before, during and after birth. That might mean help with a birth plan, finding your way around the health care system, feeding support or connecting you with local resources. Doulas also support people through a miscarriage, stillbirth or abortion. They don't replace your doctor or midwife.

Looking for a doula? Orka Health is a doula provider group in network with Partnership HealthPlan of California, and we can help you find one. Find a doula who accepts your insurance.

Sources: Partnership HealthPlan of California: Doula Services Benefit policy; Partnership HealthPlan of California: About Member Services; DHCS: Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Contact List for Members (July 2025); National Health Law Program: California Doula Medi-Cal Benefit FAQ (2023). Coverage varies by plan, so confirm yours with your plan.