CHICAGO — Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) is dedicating additional support and resources to help improve the health of mothers and babies as part of its continuing commitment to make a positive impact in the communities it serves.
The company is launching an expanded program to aid moms along their pre- and post-natal journey. It comes as rates of maternal and infant deaths remain unacceptably high and amidst growing concern around access to care for new moms, including behavioral health. The enhanced initiative includes development of a unique service model for members and adds additional community supports to impact even more women and babies. The program aims to improve maternal and infant health outcomes by increasing access to care, reducing care gaps, and educating and engaging residents on a community level.
“It’s heartbreaking that so many deaths of pregnant women and infants could have been prevented - and we’re committed to helping more mothers and children not only survive but thrive. Through our long-time maternal support program, we have helped members through pregnancy planning, childbirth and beyond,” said HCSC Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Monica Berner. “Now we are building on that foundation, adding additional resources and avenues to engage pregnant and newly delivered members, as well as increasing our reach into the community-at-large. We’re collaborating with trusted community organizations and partners, leveraging their knowledge, experience and talents on a local level. We seek to build healthier communities by using our resources to respond to societal needs.”
HCSC is the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States and operates health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The expanded maternal support program, which is first rolling out in Texas, is just one of the ways HCSC has demonstrated its commitment to improving maternal and infant health in the states it serves. Previous highlights include:
- Expanding the reach of Centering Pregnancy’s individual patient care and group support model which includes individual health assessments with a clinician followed by facilitated discussion to provide education and promote a community of social support amongst the mothers through pre and post-partum stages.
- Offering support to parents facing the heart-breaking situation of having to leave their sick newborn in the hospital by helping develop an app to support parents of NICU babies.
- Untreated hypertension in expectant mothers can lead to increased risk of preeclampsia, preterm birth the need for cesarean birth among other issues. To support expectant mothers at risk for this condition, HCSC funded distribution of hypertension kits.
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About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care Service Corporation is the country's largest customer-owned health insurer, with 18 million members in its health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.