At the beginning of April, 2026, SB 1568 was signed into law in Oregon. The bill requires Oregon Medicaid and state health benefit plans to cover the costs of Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs) and Certified Lactation Educators (CLEs), without a referral or signature needed from another health care provider, and without needing prior authorization from an insurance agency.

While this is a huge success for the state of Oregon, it is important to note that many other types of lactation support providers exist in the landscape of breastfeeding support and care. It is critical that reimbursement policies, such as SB 1568, recognize community-based care providers, as they are often the first and only source of information and support for breastfeeding individuals. It is also important that any reimbursement policy ensures equitable pay to all provider types, and removes cost barriers for families (i.e. no cost-sharing for insurance coverage). An inclusive approach emphasizes culturally responsive, continuous care from pregnancy through postpartum.

The full text of the Enrolled (a.k.a. final/effective) version of the bill can be found here.