Insurance Basics for Doulas
Learn how insurance works for doulas, in plain words, in about an hour.
Find out whether you need an NPI and how to get one, how clients can pay you with HSA and FSA money, and what goes on a claim. Includes 1 CE contact hour.
- NPI
- HSA and FSA
- Claims and codes
- 1 CE contact hour
Your class includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months.
Includes the ABCs of Insurance for Doulas glossary. See everything $9 covers
The part of your business nobody taught you
Most doulas were never taught how insurance works, and the paperwork can feel built to keep you out. Insurance isn't a cure-all, and you don't have to take it with every client. Understanding it gives you one more way to make your care affordable and your income steady.
If words like deductible, copay, and coinsurance sound like a foreign language, you're in good company. This class takes the parts that matter for a doula and puts them in plain terms.
An NPI costs nothing. If anyone asks you to pay $50 for one, walk away.
What you will learn in this class
The class is approved for 1 CE contact hour. By the end, learners will be able to:
- HSA and FSA
Identify the difference between HSA and FSA accounts.
- Do you need one?
Evaluate whether they need an NPI.
- Getting your NPI
Describe the process of getting an NPI.
Approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-014-W.
One hour, five parts
Watch the class on your own schedule. When a client brings you an insurance question you can't answer yet, bring it to a live Q&A with me.
What it means to accept insurance
Credentialing, how and when insurance companies pay, and the questions to ask before you agree to anything.
You'll know what you're signing up for.
Alternatives to accepting insurance
How clients can pay you with HSA and FSA money and what goes on their receipt, plus sliding scale, grants, and crowdfunding.
You'll have ways to help clients pay without billing insurance yourself.
The NPI
What a National Provider Identifier is, why you might want one, and how to get yours at no cost.
You'll know whether you need one and how to apply.
What you need to submit insurance
The CMS-1500 claim form (once called the HCFA-1500), ICD-10 and CPT codes, and why you ask the insurance company which code to use and get it in writing.
You'll know what goes on a claim.
Problems with insurance reimbursement
Denials, slow payment, billing a client for the difference, and who gets the check when a claim is paid.
You'll know the trouble spots before you run into them.
Included handout: ABCs of Insurance for Doulas. A plain-language A to Z insurance glossary to keep beside you when a client, a provider, or a plan uses a word you need to look up.
Doulas who keep hearing about insurance and want a straight answer
New doulas
You want to set up your business correctly from the start, and someone told you to "get an NPI" without saying why.
Practicing doulas
You keep hearing about insurance and want to know whether it's worth it for your practice.
Doulas whose clients ask
Your clients want to know whether their insurance, HSA, or FSA will pay for a doula, and you want to give them a real answer.
Birth doulas and postpartum doulas are both welcome. The class covers how each one bills.
What you can do after this class
- Answer the HSA and FSA questionTell clients how they may be able to use HSA or FSA money for your care, and give them a receipt with what their plan asks for.
- Decide about the NPIFigure out whether you need one, then apply for it yourself, at no cost.
- Ask before you agreeKnow what to ask an insurance company before you sign, including whether you can bill a client for the difference between your fee and what insurance pays.
- Get paid for your workSet things up so you're paid whether you or your client submits the claim.
$9. Includes live Q&A with me and 1 CE contact hour.
One thing to know before you enroll
This class covers the United States insurance system. It won't make every insurance company pay your full fee, and reimbursement rules change by company and by state. It gives you the steps and the questions to decide, client by client, whether insurance makes sense for you.
Who's teaching this
Hi, I'm Robin Elise Weiss.
I still attend births and help my own clients with their insurance paperwork.
My PhD is in public health, earned in a health management and systems sciences department. I sometimes call it my PhD in health insurance. I also teach healthcare systems to undergraduate and graduate students.
I built this class after watching companies charge doulas $50 to fill out a free government form. I wanted every doula to know better.
PhD, MPH, MSHPE, LCCE, CLC, PMH-C, AdvCD/BDT(DONA)
As seen inNPR, Parents, People, The Bump, Verywell Health, The Washington Post, and Newsweek
What $9 covers
- Video
- A recorded class, about one hour, taught by Robin Elise Weiss, PhD. Watch at your own pace.
- Live Q&A
- Live Q&A with your instructor. Your class includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months.
- Handout
- ABCs of Insurance for Doulas, a plain-language A to Z insurance glossary.
- CE hours
- 1 CE contact hour you can apply toward certification or recertification. Approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-014-W.
- Access
- Yours for as long as the course is available. Start any time.
- Covers
- The United States insurance system.
That's less than some companies charge doulas to fill out the NPI form, which costs nothing.
Registration is nonrefundable because this is a digital course.
Questions
Is any of this live?
The class is a recording you watch on your own schedule. Your class also includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months, so you can bring your insurance questions about your own clients.
Do I have to accept insurance to get value from this class?
No. Insurance is one tool, and you can use it with some clients and not others. Even if you never bill an insurance company, an NPI and a clear receipt can help your clients get reimbursed. Each insurance company sets its own rules, and an NPI alone doesn't make you eligible for payment.
Is the NPI really free?
Yes. The National Provider Identifier costs nothing, and it can be ready in as little as a day. If anyone asks you to pay $50 for one, walk away. I walk through the steps in the class, and in How to Get a Free NPI Number as a Doula.
Can I charge my client the difference between my fee and what insurance pays?
Sometimes, and sometimes doing so is insurance fraud. It depends on the insurance company and your agreement with them. The class shows you the question to ask, and to get the answer in writing, before you ever bill.
What is the difference between me getting paid and my client getting paid?
When a client files for reimbursement, the money can go to them and never reach you. The class shows you how to set it up so you are paid for your work either way.
Can my clients use HSA or FSA money to pay me?
Often, yes. Many plans allow it, and the client checks with their own plan. The class covers the difference between the two accounts and what to put on the receipt. For more, read How to Accept HSA and FSA Funds as a Doula.
Do I need an LLC to take insurance?
Usually not. Most doulas can work as a sole proprietor with an EIN or Social Security number for tax reporting. The class covers where an LLC helps.
Does this class count for continuing education?
Yes. Finish the class and you'll get a certificate for 1 CE contact hour, approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-014-W. You can apply it toward recertification with DONA, ICEA, Lamaze, and others. Each program sets its own rules, so confirm with yours.
Is this class only for the United States?
Yes. Insurance rules differ by country, and this class covers the United States system. You're welcome to watch for background, but the steps may not apply where you work.
How long do I have access?
As long as the course is available. Come back to it whenever a client asks an insurance question.
Can I get a refund?
No. Registration is nonrefundable because this is a digital course.
The next time a client asks whether insurance will pay for a doula, you'll know what to tell them.
Ready to understand the insurance side of your business?
About an hour of video. 1 live Q&A session with me. 1 CE contact hour. $9.