How digital health improves maternity care for Medicaid members: 4 key lessons

‍This article was written in collaboration with Nicole Andrzejewski, former Director of Medicaid Partnerships at Maven Clinic.

Key takeaways

• Medicaid covers roughly 2 in 5 U.S. births, which makes it central to any effort to reduce the U.S. maternal mortality crisis.
• Maternal mental health is a top unmet need: More than 40% of Maven Medicaid members report anxiety or depression symptoms during pregnancy, compared with 32% of the general U.S. population.
• Medicaid members are ready for virtual care: Nearly 90% own smartphones, and Maven's pregnant Medicaid members average 20+ platform touchpoints per month.
• Both hyper-localization and scale matter: Addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) like food insecurity and care access is critical to addressing maternal health needs.

Why Medicaid matters for maternity care

Medicaid covers roughly 40% of births in the U.S., meaning any conversation regarding maternal health should include consideration for Medicaid populations. The evidence backs this up: expanding access to Medicaid can reduce maternal deaths by getting underinsured populations the care they need.

Maven has partnered with Medicaid plans for years to support members as they start and raise their families. Improving care for this population is complex work, but four consistent lessons have emerged that can help Medicaid plans deliver better maternity outcomes through digital health.

Lesson 1: What maternal mental health support do Medicaid members need?

Medicaid members experience maternal mental health symptoms at higher rates than the general population, and most struggle to get the care they need.

• More than 40% of Maven Medicaid members report symptoms of anxiety or depression during pregnancy, compared with 32% of the general U.S. population.
• The barriers are familiar: coverage limitations, too little information about available resources, low provider availability, and stigma.

Even where mental health resources appear to exist, access tells a different story:

• Nearly 160 million Americans live in areas with mental health professional shortages.
• One Oregon-based study found that, because of low reimbursement rates, more than half of the mental health providers listed in Medicaid managed care directories did not actually see Medicaid patients.

What this means for health plans: Medicaid members want and need more mental health support during pregnancy. Digital mental health support can close that gap by connecting members to licensed providers who accept and serve the Medicaid population.

Lesson 2: Do Medicaid populations want to use virtual care?

Yes. Medicaid members adopt digital health technology at rates comparable to commercially insured populations.

• Nearly 90% of Medicaid beneficiaries report owning a smartphone, on par with their commercially insured counterparts.
• Most Medicaid beneficiaries say they're interested in using technology for their health — everything from connecting with a live health coach through an app to using a virtual assistant to identify symptoms.

In fact, pregnant Maven members who use Medicaid average 20+ touchpoints per month on the Maven platform. That level of adoption is an opportunity for health plans to capitalize on the use of digital tools to improve care and fill access gaps.

Lesson 3: How do you balance local needs and scale for Medicaid populations?

Effective Medicaid maternity care requires both hyper-localization and scale. Each solves a different problem.

Why hyper-localization matters

Every state runs Medicaid under its own laws and regulations, so care has to be tailored locally:

• Plans need to plug into community-based organizations (CBOs) to build trust and drive better outcomes. CBOs bring localized expertise and help deliver efficient, culturally sensitive, high-quality care.
• Maven's Care Advocates are educated in state-by-state Medicaid dynamics and help each member navigate to in-person care and resources.
• Addressing social determinants of health: Nearly 20% of Maven Medicaid members report food insecurity, compared with less than 2% of Commercial members. Care Advocates can connect these members with trusted community organizations for resources like food vouchers.

Why scale matters

Digital health extends care beyond any single community, helping plans meet member preferences and close gaps:

• Care matching connects members with providers who share their cultural background and lived experience.
• Care matching improves outcomes and increases treatment compliance.
• By removing geographic boundaries, digital health widens the specialist pool, making it easier to match members with the right provider for their needs.

Lesson 4: Can digital solutions support Medicaid redetermination?

Yes. Digital health tools help plans and state agencies manage redetermination through better data and proactive member communication.

Given the unwinding continuous enrollment in Medicaid in 2023, states are once again responsible for managing redetermination. Two pieces of this process tend to trip up states and plans:

• Accurate demographic information: Demographic data can be outdated or incorrect. Digital solutions help ensure Medicaid agencies have accurate member data, which simplifies redetermination.
• Consistent member communication: Digital health support can also enhance the efficacy of communication to members. At Maven, Care Advocates can remind members to renew paperwork on time and support them through each step, helping prevent avoidable coverage loss.

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Frequently asked questions

What percentage of U.S. births does Medicaid cover?
About two out of five (roughly 40%) of U.S. births were covered by Medicaid as the primary payer in 2021, according to the CDC.

How common are maternal mental health symptoms among Medicaid members?
More than 40% of Maven Medicaid members report symptoms of anxiety or depression during pregnancy, compared with about 32% of the general U.S. population.

Do Medicaid members use digital health tools?
Yes. Nearly 90% of Medicaid beneficiaries report owning a smartphone, and most are interested in using technology for their health. Maven's pregnant Medicaid members average 20+ platform touchpoints per month.

What is a Care Advocate?
A Maven Care Advocate is a dedicated guide, educated in state-by-state Medicaid dynamics, who helps members navigate to in-person care, community resources, and benefits—and supports them through processes like redetermination.

What is Medicaid redetermination?
Redetermination is the process of verifying whether a member still qualifies for Medicaid. After Congress unwound continuous enrollment in March 2023, states resumed this responsibility, and accurate data and proactive communication became essential to preventing coverage gaps.

How does Maven address social determinants of health like food insecurity and barriers to care?
Care Advocates connect members with trusted community-based organizations for resources such as food vouchers. Nearly 20% of Maven Medicaid members report food insecurity, versus less than 2% of Commercial members. Maven also enables Medicaid members to access care from 30+ provider types virtually from their phone, 24/7 — meaning they can get care from their home without having to navigate finding transportation, arranging childcare, or missing work.

The way forward for Medicaid plans

As Medicaid plans put these lessons to work in their maternity programs, Maven is ready to help them scale support that meets the real needs of the Medicaid population—combining localized Care Advocates, culturally matched virtual providers, maternal mental health support, and redetermination assistance.

Contact us today to learn how Maven can make a difference for your organization and your members.

*Source: Maven Medicaid book of business, 2023.