UnitedHealthcare Expands Maternal Health Equity Program in NC

UnitedHealthcare announced that it will expand a program to advance maternal health equity in for minority communities in North Carolina.

“Access to quality maternal health care will help close the gap on health inequity in our state,” said Anita Bachmann, chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina. “We are honored to partner with Mountain Area Health Education Center and SistasCaring4Sistas of North Carolina to address disparities and outcomes with the expanded doula program.”

The payer partnered with the community-based organization SistasCaring4Sistas to expand access to the organization’s program, Doulas for Social Justice.

“Partnering with UnitedHealthcare to support families most likely to face pregnancy-related complications, even death, is such an amazing opportunity,” said Cindy McMillan, director of SistasCaring4Sistas. “United together, we value equitable, safe and positive birth outcomes and are utilizing needed community-based support to address community health care needs within maternal health systems in North Carolina.”

The goal of Doulas for Social Justice is to improve access to care for low-income and Black mothers. The organization’s capabilities include offering prenatal services, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum support. Doulas help inform mothers and their families about their options for delivery and at other times throughout the pregnancy.

“Poor maternal health outcomes remain high among women in North Carolina, and together we are addressing maternal and prenatal health inequity in communities in need,” said Amanda Murphy, certified nurse midwife and medical director at Mothering Asheville. “We applaud UnitedHealthcare for recognizing the importance of maternal and child health in improving care for all pregnancies across the state.”

According to the UnitedHealthcare press release, Black women in the Tar Heel State experience severe maternal morbidity at double that of White women.

Previously in North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare channeled funding toward a healthcare practice that serves women to improve access to care for pregnant people.

The press release also noted the payer’s other efforts to reduce healthcare disparities in maternal healthcare. These include putting $14 million in grant funds toward maternal healthcare initiatives. UnitedHealthcare has also supported the nonprofit organization March of Dimes, which aims to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants.

Nationwide, maternal healthcare is characterized by significant disparities in coverage and stark differences in patient outcomes. In North Carolina specifically, Black mothers are more likely than their White counterparts to die while giving birth due to preventable causes, and they often have less access to educational materials and support throughout their pregnancies.

CMS has also highlighted the care disparities in maternal healthcare and has offered states the option to extend Medicaid coverage to better support low-income mothers.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association tracks its progress in advancing health equity in maternal healthcare by leaning on CDC quality measures.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) focused on increasing financial support for community-based organizations in targeted regions that demonstrated high healthcare disparities—namely, specific neighborhoods in Chicago. 

Like UnitedHealthcare, BCBSIL worked with CenteringPregnancy to bring educational resources and social support through federally qualified health centers to mothers across the state. Additionally, the payer funded virtual baby showers and virtual pregnancy programs to help bolster community support and expand access to care.

Payers have also recognized income-related disparities in care and have made an effort to expand access to care in low-income areas. In particular, mothers who depend on rural healthcare may have trouble accessing a care site. 

Payers like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota have provided funding to help hospitals pay for training and technology to expand their ability to serve pregnant people.