Are Doulas covered under insurance in Alberta?
I have scoured the internet looking for a concrete answer to this question. Not just for my own doula clients, but for my own intense curiosity and need to know all the options. I searched google, asked in Facebook doula groups, and talked with doulas and friends in Calgary. Since I wasn’t getting a straight answer, I decided to personally call each of these companies and make that inquiry.
So, are doulas covered under insurance in Alberta?
The short answer is YES!!!
But the longer answer is a definite maybe.
I spent about a week calling the 7 most popular health insurance companies in Alberta and this is what I found.
If you pay for your own health insurance under a personal/individual or family plan, doulas are NOT covered. So unfortunately if you are a private contractor or otherwise pay for your own health insurance, there is no option or plan you can get that will cover doula services.
However, if you have a group plan with your employer, then maybe… Maybe doula services will be covered.
Below I’ll breakdown the possible coverage by insurance company.
Canada Life
There are 2 types of healthcare spending accounts under the group/employer plans. The regular and enhanced healthcare spending accounts. The regular account does not cover doulas, however if the employer decides to pay for the enhanced plan, doulas are covered. The coverage is listed as doulas, and does not specify birth or postpartum. It also does not specify that the doula must be certified.
AMA
AMA’s Personal Spending Account can be used to cover doula services, but just because you have a Personal Spending Account at AMA does not mean that doula services are covered. You must choose this option for one of your Flexcare options. The coverage is for certified doulas only, but it does not specify which organizations are acceptable certifying organizations and it doesn’t specify birth or postpartum.
Alberta Blue Cross
If you have a Wellness account with Alberta Blue Cross, you must also have the category that specifies coverage for doulas in order for it to be covered. So read your plan carefully or phone them and ask if your plan covers doulas.
Green Shield Canada
Doulas are nestled under the maternity services category in their Personal Spending Account. Employers decide what they want covered by selecting categories or specific services. Some employers select a few categories that they deem necessary while others decide to cover them all. Some plans have extra ‘flex’ money that YOU decide what it is put toward and can select the category of your choice. The coverage is listed as doulas, and does not specify birth or postpartum. It also does not specify the need for certification.
Sunlife
Sunlife has a personal spending account or wellness account in their group benefits. This personal spending account will vary from company to company based on what the employer chooses to have covered. They were able to confirm that doula coverage was an option that employers can choose and that the coverage can be used for birth and/or postpartum doulas, however they were unable to confirm if the doula needed to be certified.
Desjardins
Doula coverage is an option under the wellness account at Desjardins, however it is not guaranteed to be covered just because you have a wellness account. Your coverage will depend a lot on the plan that your plan administrator chooses. They have not clarified what type of doulas were covered or if the doula must be certified to be covered.
Manulife
Manulife does not have any plan options that they were willing to discuss over the phone that cover doulas.
Conclusion
The only way to know for sure if your health benefits cover doula costs or not is to ask! Some of the insurance companies made reference to recent updates to coverage this past year, so it is best to give them a call to get the most up-to-date information. Get in touch with your insurance company today to find out. Then check out my post on how to find the perfect doula.
*Always verify with your company and your specific plan details to know exact coverage. This information is true to the best of my knowledge as of Sep 29, 2022.
Thanks to Brielle’s help I was able to get my Doula fee completely covered through my health spending account. I submitted it under Professional Services in the Midwife section leaving a note that she was professional Doula with her registration number. It works perfectly and we are so happy to have her help us with our birth experience!
Hi! I am curious if you might know – does any province make a distinction between a death doula or a birth doula? I am wondering if death doula work could be a billable service?
To my knowledge, the insurance companies do not stipulate what kind of a doula it will cover, however it is usually listed under maternity services. So my answer is maybe…