In plain words
A standing recommendation is a statewide directive. It lets a service be covered without a separate order from each provider. In California, the state public health officer issued one for services under , in effect from January 2023. Because of it, covered doula services do not need an order for each client. That makes the benefit easier to reach. Standing recommendations are used when a service should be available broadly. The term matters for families because it affects coverage. Eligibility and coverage rules still apply. Medi-Cal and the doula's office can say what is covered.
The deeper version
A standing recommendation is a directive from a state agency that authorizes coverage of a service without an individual order from a treating clinician for each patient, used to reduce administrative barriers. California's Medi-Cal doula benefit, administered by DHCS, was enabled by a statewide standing recommendation in 2023. The benefit covers an initial visit, up to eight additional prenatal and postpartum visits, support during labor and birth including , , and abortion, and extended postpartum visits. The mechanism reflects a shift of doula payment from private fee-for-service toward insurance, and whether uptake and outcomes follow is an open question.
Where it comes up
- Doula coverage under Medi-CalCalifornia: Leave, Money, and Paperwork
- What a doula does, and how to find oneGetting Ready for Birth
What mothers here say about standing recommendation
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- California Department of Health Care Services — Doula services benefit under Medi-Cal: statewide standing recommendation, 2023