Meridian is a Michigan-based managed care organization. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, has partnered with Mae, a digital health platform focused on the clinical, social and cultural needs of underserved pregnant women.
Mae aims to connect Meridian’s Medicaid members with a network of more than 50 Michigan-based doulas to provide virtual and in-person support in a variety of areas, including breastfeeding, childbirth education, support and postpartum monitoring.
A doula is a non-medical support provider for pregnant women and their families before, during and after birth..
To support Meridian members, Mae is integrating a digital engagement and risk tracking platform with community-based doula support and coordinating provider support teams to keep pregnant women at the center throughout the perinatal journey.
The main goal is to reduce disparities in maternal health outcomes, along with preterm births and medically unnecessary cesarean sections.
“We are pleased to be able to provide this much-needed additional service to our eligible members and doulas,” DianaLynn Smith, Meridian’s vice president of quality improvement, said in a statement.
“As the primary source of insurance for low-income people, Medicaid plays a critical role in reducing health disparities both locally and nationally. Meridian accounts for nearly 10 percent of births in Michigan, or 1 in 9. While pregnancy is an amazing journey, it can also be an incredibly stressful time, both physically and emotionally.”
“Community-based doulas provide care that is culturally and ethnically resonant with pregnant women through their shared backgrounds, cultures and languages,” Smith added.
Maya Hardigan, CEO of May, said over the past two years, May has built a strong presence in Michigan, working with a team of outstanding community-based doulas to serve the needs of Medicaid recipients across the state.
“We are thrilled to partner with Meridian to expand support for Michigan’s birth-planning population and drive improvements in maternal health and equity, and we look forward to the impact we can make together,” Smith said in a statement.
The larger trend
In 2021, Mae launched with $1.3 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by SteelSky Ventures, with participation from Happiness Fund, Social Starts Health, Rhia Ventures, MBX Capital and Avestria Ventures.
In May, Meridian and the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation, announced a $1.1 million grant to Neighborhood Services Organization (NSO), a Detroit-based comprehensive health and human services agency, to support NSO’s medical respite program, which helps homeless people access medical and recuperative care.
