How do I request additional postpartum visits?

If you have a client that could benefit from up to two additional postpartum visits and fits into one or more of the required client reasons, you can provide these visits using a special bucket of money from IHN insurance. This process is completely separate from your regular referral paperwork. You will complete your referral link paperwork and send it in prior to completing these additional visits. You do not have to put any details of these visits in your referral paperwork, and you do not include these visits in that invoice.

Client Reason Categories:

• History of substance use
• History of mental health treatment
• Previous pregnancy or child loss
• >20 week loss
• Multiple gestation
• Non-English speaker
• Housing instability or unhoused
• Referral from or engagement with SHP high-risk maternity case management team
• Referral from Care Coordination for high Health-Related Social Needs

Step-by-Step Process #

Email Request for Approval: 

Email referrals@communitydoulaprogram requesting approval for the additional visits. Email Template see below: (you can write your own or use this, must include client code & reason)

Subject Line: Request for CDP<Enter Code> Additional PP Visit 

Hi,

I’m requesting two additional postpartum visits for CDP<Enter Code> to support them as they are experiencing:

• History of substance use
• History of mental health treatment
• Previous pregnancy or child loss
• >20 week loss
• Multiple gestation
• Non-English speaker
• Housing instability or unhoused
• Referral from or engagement with SHP high-risk maternity case management team
• Referral from Care Coordination for high Health-Related Social Needs

 Receive Approval and Documents:

 Within one business week you will receive notification if your request was approved or denied.

If denied you will receive an explanation for denial.

If approved you will receive an email back from Heidi with: 

• The approval
• A copy of the invoice to use
• Postpartum visit notes form 

Complete Visits and Documentation:

When you have completed the extra visit(s), email referrals@communitydoulaprogram with:

• Completed invoice 
• Completed Additional Postpartum Visits Form

Invoice Processing:

Your invoice will be submitted to IHN for processing, the current turnaround is undetermined.

The CDP does not have funding to pay you for the additional visits until we receive insurance reimbursement. Upon insurance reimbursement, you will be paid. Please allow at least 8 weeks for reimbursement. Email referrals@communitydoulaprogram if it has been longer than 8 weeks from your submission date. 

Important Notes:

• This special bucket of money from IHN is limited, and the payment comes in a different form than the client’s regular doula benefit.
• We have to wait until IHN sends us a physical check to pay you for these additional visits.
• Payment cannot be guaranteed within 30 days as stated in the CDP contract.
• If you do not send Heidi the invoice and the visit notes, you will not receive reimbursement for these visits.