If you’re a doula thinking about accepting insurance—or already working with clients whose care is covered by an insurer—you’ve probably heard the term insurance verification.

It might not sound as exciting as birth stories or postpartum planning, but it’s one of the most important parts of your business if you want to get paid on time and ensure your clients receive the benefits they’re entitled to. Skipping it can lead to denied claims, unexpected bills for your clients, and weeks (or months) of payment delays.

Let’s break down what insurance verification means for doulas, why it matters, and how to do it effectively.

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What Is Insurance Verification?

Insurance verification is the process of confirming that:

1. Your client has active health insurance coverage
2. Their plan covers doula services (or related codes you can bill under)
3. You meet the insurer’s requirements to provide care (network status, credentials, etc.)
4. You understand any prior authorization or documentation steps required for payment

In short, it’s making sure that when you provide care, the insurance company agrees—in advance—that they’ll pay for it.

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Why Is Insurance Verification So Important?

When you work with insurance clients instead of cash-pay clients, you’re essentially partnering with their insurance company to get paid. That comes with rules, paperwork, and sometimes surprises. Verification protects both you and your client by:

• Avoiding unpaid claims – Without checking coverage, you risk providing services the insurer won’t cover or providing services to someone who is not actually covered on the service date.
• Preventing surprise bills for clients – No one wants to find out after birth that they owe hundreds of dollars because their plan didn’t cover doula care.
• Clarifying exactly what’s covered – Some plans pay for a set number of visits, others cover only birth support, and some may require specific billing codes.
• Understanding your own requirements – You may need to be in-network, submit a treatment plan, or file paperwork before starting services. Here in California, most plans require you to be Medi-cal enrolled and to go through a plan-specific credentialing process.

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How the Verification Process Works

Here’s a general workflow for doulas accepting insurance:

1. Collect Client Insurance Information
   • Full name as it appears on their insurance card
   • Date of birth
   • Insurance company name and plan type
   • Member ID and group number
2. Contact the Insurance Company
   • Use the provider phone number on the back of the insurance card
   • Ask to verify coverage for doula services (or related codes, such as childbirth education or perinatal support)
   • Get the representative’s name and a reference number for your call
3. Confirm Service Details
   • Number of visits covered
   • Whether birth attendance is included
   • Prior authorization requirements
   • Copayments or deductibles
4. Document Everything
5. Keep notes in your client file so you can reference them if there’s a payment dispute later.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping verification because “it’s probably covered.”
• Even if a client’s last doula was covered, their current plan might have different rules.
• Assuming all plans from the same insurer have the same benefits.
• Employers choose different coverage levels—two clients with the same insurance company can have very different benefits.
• Not re-verifying after coverage changes.
• Pregnancy is long—clients can switch jobs or plans before birth.

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The Bottom Line

Insurance verification may feel like administrative busywork, but it’s a safeguard. It protects your income, prevents client stress, and sets clear expectations for everyone involved. When you take on insurance clients, this step isn’t optional—it’s an essential part of running a sustainable, professional doula business.

Here at Loula, we provide insurance verification for every client that you work with on an ongoing, twice-monthly basis to make sure you can focus on what you do best: supporting families through one of the most important moments of their lives.

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