EmblemHealth is partnering with Mae Health, a digital platform that connects expectant mothers to culturally responsive doulas, according to a Feb. 24 news release shared with Becker’s.
The collaboration will target EmblemHealth Medicaid members. Doulas can assist with education around birth and pregnancy, emotional support, labor and delivery, lactation, and postpartum services — both in person and virtually.
Along with matching members to doulas, Mae offers interactive educational resources, real-time issue escalation and symptom tracking. EmblemHealth members’ early use points to engagement with digital check-ins and doula support.
Maternal mortality disproportionately affects Black women both in the U.S. and in New York state specifically, EmblemHealth’s home base, according to the state’s Department of Health.
“How people engage with pregnancy and postpartum care is critical, especially now, when regulatory shifts raise questions about access in the future,” Jacqueline Prince, associate vice president of Medicaid product strategy at EmblemHealth, said. “Ensuring that every pregnancy has the support and advocacy it deserves begins with addressing the current gaps. By expanding access to digital tools and community-based support through partners like Mae, EmblemHealth is advancing its commitment to addressing health disparities in Black women.”
EmblemHealth is not the only insurer investing in doula care. Both Elevance Health and Humana have worked on doula offerings.
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