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 assist in a wide range of areas together with emotional and lactation, labor training, advocacy and postpartum oversight.
Doula is non-medical 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 primary objective is to scale 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 vice chairman, high quality enchancment, stated in an announcement.
“As a significant supply of protection for low-income individuals, Medicaid has a essential function to play in lowering well being disparities, each regionally and nationally. Meridian is liable for practically 10%, or 1 in 9, of all births in Michigan. Whereas being pregnant is usually a stunning journey, it can be a really worrying time, each bodily and mentally.”
Smith added: “Group-based doulas present culturally and racially resonant care by way of a shared background, tradition and language with pregnant individuals.”
Maya Hardigan, chief government officer of Mae, stated that over the previous two years, Mae constructed a big presence in Michigan, becoming a member of forces with a rising workforce of remarkable community-based doulas to serve the wants of Medicaid beneficiaries throughout the state.
“We’re thrilled to launch our partnership with Meridian to broaden our attain to birthing people in Michigan and to drive enhancements in maternal well being outcomes and fairness. We look ahead to the affect we’ll make collectively,” Smith stated in an announcement.
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 assist NSO’s Medical Respite program, which will increase entry to well being and recuperative look after homeless individuals.
