MissouriMissouri health programs would cover doulas and limit some hospital collections
The measure states that Missouri would cover specified doula services, restrict some hospital debt collection, and require new electronic prior-authorization systems.
What it does
MO HealthNet would cover doula support for eligible pregnant women, including support sessions, birth attendance, lactation visits, and limited help finding community resources.
Beginning August 28, 2026, hospitals could not pursue covered patient debts tied to periods when federal officials found major price-transparency violations.
Health carriers would build electronic prior-authorization tools and publish approval, denial, and review-time information, with key deadlines in 2027 and 2028.
Argument forDoula coverage could help pregnant MO HealthNet participants receive more support before, during, and after childbirth.
Argument againstHospitals could lose collection options for patient debts when federal officials find price-transparency violations, which may complicate efforts to recover unpaid bills.
More detail
MO HealthNet would cover doula care and services for eligible participants. The coverage would apply to pregnant women who qualify for MO HealthNet and request doula services. Covered care would include at least six support sessions, with up to ten more when needed, one birth attendance, up to two lactation visits, and limited community navigation services. Doulas would need to enroll as MO HealthNet providers, be at least eighteen, carry liability insurance, and meet approved training requirements. The supplied text does not state when this coverage would begin.
Hospitals would be barred from starting or continuing certain collection actions against patients or guarantors. The restriction would cover debts for hospital items or services provided while the hospital was materially out of compliance with federal hospital price-transparency laws. The hospital's noncompliance would need to be shown by a federal civil penalty or official notice that the hospital failed to correct major deficiencies. A collection action includes sending the debt to a collector, suing, enforcing an arbitration or mediation clause, or reporting the debt to a consumer reporting agency. The restriction would apply on or after August 28, 2026, to debts for services provided during the hospital's noncompliance period.
Health carriers and utilization review entities would have to use electronic systems for many prior-authorization requests and report approval and denial data. The rules would cover health carriers, utilization review entities, managed-care plans, and providers seeking approval for health care services or prescription drugs. Drug prior authorization would require an online process by July 1, 2028, while other health-care-service requests would use a required application programming interface by January 1, 2028. Carriers would generally have to publish prior-authorization statistics for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and managed-care carriers would report additional data annually. The application programming interface would be due by January 1, 2028; the online drug process would be due by July 1, 2028; and reporting would begin for plan years on or after January 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 13Delivered to Secretary of State (G)Latest
- Jul 13Approved by Governor Mike Kehoe (G)Became Law
- May 28Delivered to Governor
- May 28Signed by President Pro Tem (S)
- May 28Signed by House Speaker (H)
- May 14House Message (H)
- Vote recorded Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 116 NOES: 21 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 116 NOES: 21 PRESENT: 0Major
- May 14House Adopts (H) - SS SCS, as amended
- May 14Taken Up
- May 14Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- May 14Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- May 14Executive Session Completed (H)
- May 13Referred: Fiscal Review(H)Minor
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed with Amendments (S) - SA 1, SA2, SA 3, SA 1 to SA 4, SA 4, as amended, SA 1 to SA 5, SA 5, as amended, & SA 6, adopted - AYES: 26 NOES: 5 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Upper
- May 13Reported to the House with... (H) - SS SCS, as amended
- May 13Third Read and Passed with Amendments (S) - SA 1, SA2, SA 3, SA 1 to SA 4, SA 4, as amended, SA 1 to SA 5, SA 5, as amended, & SA 6, adopted - AYES: 26 NOES: 5 PRESENT: 0Passed Senate
- May 13Taken Up
- May 13Reported Do Pass (S)Minor
- May 13Voted Do Pass (S)Minor
- May 13Executive Session Held (S)
- May 12Referred: Fiscal Oversight(S)Minor
- May 12SS Adopted (S) - SA 1, SA2, SA 3, SA 1 to SA 4, SA 4, as amended, SA 1 to SA 5, SA 5, as amended, & SA 6, adopted
- May 12SS OfferedMinor
- May 12Taken Up for Third Reading (S)Minor
- May 7Placed on Informal Calendar
- May 7Reported Do Pass (S)Minor
- May 6Voted Do Pass (S)Minor
- May 6Executive Session Held (S)
- Apr 30Referred: Fiscal Oversight(S)Minor
- Apr 29SCS Reported Do Pass (S)Minor
- Apr 22SCS Voted Do Pass (S)Minor
- Apr 22Executive Session Held (S)
- Apr 15Public Hearing Held (S)
- Apr 10Public Hearing Scheduled (S) - Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 8:30 a.m., SCR 1 - 1st Floor
- Apr 8Second read and referred: Families, Seniors and Health(S)
- Apr 7Reported to the Senate and First Read (S)Minor
- Apr 2Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 129 NOES: 20 PRESENT: 1Passed House
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 129 NOES: 20 PRESENT: 1. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 2Taken Up for Third Reading (H)Minor
- Mar 31Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 7 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 7 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 31Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- Mar 31Executive Session Completed (H)
- Mar 30Placed on the Informal Third Reading Calendar (H)Minor
- Mar 26Referred: Fiscal Review(H)Minor
- Mar 25Perfected with Amendments (H) - HA 1, HA 2, HA 3, HA 4, HA 5, HA 6, HA 7, HA 8, HA 10, adopted
- Mar 25HCS Adopted (H)
- Mar 25Title of Bill - Agreed To
- Mar 25Taken Up for Perfection (H)
- Mar 23Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)
- Mar 11Placed Back on Formal Perfection Calendar (H)
- Mar 10Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)
- Mar 5Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 11 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 11 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- Mar 4Executive Session Completed (H)
- Feb 18Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)Minor
- Feb 5HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 17 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 17 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 5HCS Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- Feb 5Executive Session Completed (H)
- Jan 29Public Hearing Completed (H)
- Jan 15Referred: Health and Mental Health(H)Minor
- Jan 8Read Second Time (H)Minor
- Jan 7Read First Time (H)
- 2025
- Dec 11Prefiled (H)Introduced
HealthcareConsumer ProtectionMental Health