Meridian, a Michigan-based managed care group and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Company, is partnering with Mae, a digital well being platform that focuses on the medical, social and cultural necessities of underserved pregnant moms.
Mae goals to attach Meridian’s Medicaid members with its community of greater than 50 Michigan-based doulas for digital and in-person help in quite a lot of areas together with emotional and lactation, labor schooling, advocacy and postpartum oversight.
Doula is non-medical help for pregnant folks and their households previous to, throughout, and after childbirth.
In help of Meridian members, Mae integrates a digital engagement and risk-tracking platform with community-based doula help to coordinate supplier help groups and middle the pregnant particular person all through the perinatal interval.
The primary objective is to cut back disparate maternal well being outcomes, together with preterm births and non-medically mandatory C-sections.
“We’re happy to supply this much-needed further service to our eligible members and doulas,” Dianalynn Smith, Meridian’s vp, high quality enchancment, mentioned in a press release.
“As a serious supply of protection for low-income folks, Medicaid has a important position to play in decreasing well being disparities, each domestically and nationally. Meridian is chargeable for almost 10%, or 1 in 9, of all births in Michigan. Whereas being pregnant is usually a stunning journey, it will also be a really annoying time, each bodily and mentally.”
Smith added: “Group-based doulas present culturally and racially resonant care via a shared background, tradition and language with pregnant folks.”
Maya Hardigan, chief govt officer of Mae, mentioned that over the previous two years, Mae constructed a big presence in Michigan, becoming a member of forces with a rising staff of outstanding community-based doulas to serve the wants of Medicaid beneficiaries throughout the state.
“We’re thrilled to launch our partnership with Meridian to develop our attain to birthing people in Michigan and to drive enhancements in maternal well being outcomes and fairness. We stay up for the affect we’ll make collectively,” Smith mentioned in a press release.
The Bigger Pattern
In 2021, Mae was launched with $1.3 million in pre-seed funding. The spherical was led by SteelSky Ventures with participation from Happiness Fund, Social Begins Well being, Rhia Ventures, MBX Capital and Avestria Ventures.
In Might, Meridian and the Centene Basis, the philanthropic department of Centene Company, introduced a $1.1 million grant to the Detroit-based Neighborhood Service Group (NSO), an built-in well being and human service company. The grant was used to help NSO’s Medical Respite program, which will increase entry to well being and recuperative take care of homeless folks.
