Meridian, a Michigan-based managed care group and wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Company, is partnering with Mae, a digital well being platform that focuses on the scientific, 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 assist in quite a lot of areas, together with lactation, labor training, advocacy and postpartum oversight.
Doula is nonmedical assist for pregnant individuals and their households previous to, throughout and after childbirth.
In assist of Meridian members, Mae integrates a digital engagement and risk-tracking platform with community-based doula assist to coordinate supplier assist groups and heart the pregnant particular person all through the perinatal interval.
The principle aim is to scale back disparate maternal well being outcomes, together with preterm births and medically pointless C-sections.
“We’re happy to supply this much-needed further service to our eligible members and doulas,” Dianalynn Smith, Meridian’s vp of high quality enchancment, stated in a press release.
“As a significant supply of protection for low-income individuals, Medicaid has a vital position to play in decreasing well being disparities, each regionally and nationally. Meridian is chargeable for practically 10%, or 1 in 9, of all births in Michigan. Whereas being pregnant is usually a lovely journey, it may also be a really irritating 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 individuals.”
Maya Hardigan, chief government officer of Mae, stated that over the previous two years Mae has constructed a major presence in Michigan by becoming a member of forces with a rising workforce 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 increase our attain to birthing people in Michigan and to drive enhancements in maternal well being outcomes and fairness. We stay up for the influence we are going to make collectively,” Smith stated in a press release.
The bigger development
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 Could, 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 assist NSO’s Medical Respite program, which will increase entry to well being and recuperative take care of homeless individuals.
