Centene Corporation Unveils Innovative Healthcare Program for Pregnant Members and Newborns
April 15 2008 - 9:02AM
Business Wire
Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) today announced a newly enhanced
prenatal, postpartum and newborn healthcare management program
called Start Smart for Your Baby� (Start Smart). The program -
which covers all aspects of managing the pregnancy and newborn
period - aims to reduce pregnancy complications, premature
deliveries, and infant disease. Through early identification of
pregnant members, a wide range of educational materials, incentives
for members, and innovative techniques to improve communication,
the program�s goal is to improve health outcomes for both mothers
and babies while lowering the overall costs of care. Centene is
planning to roll out the enhanced Start Smart program through its
seven state health plans early in the second quarter. In 2007,
Centene�s health plans managed more than 60,000 deliveries. Almost
13 percent of these women delivered prematurely (before 37 weeks)
and over 10 percent of the babies were of low birth weight (less
than five-and-a-half pounds). Though pregnancy complications are
not unique to members who receive benefits under Medicaid, these
members and the providers who care for them often face unique
challenges. Frequently, low levels of health literacy and other
socio-economic barriers compound issues that may arise during and
after pregnancy. �Centene has nearly 25 years of experience
managing care specifically for people who participate in the
Medicaid program. With the enhanced Start Smart program, we are
drawing on this expertise to reach our members with critical
preventive health information as early in their pregnancies as
possible,� said Mary Mason, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief
Medical Officer for Centene. �Our members often have higher risks
during the pregnancy and newborn period. We know that it takes
frequent communication and innovative techniques to make a
difference in the care provided for them during this critical time
period.� A vital component of the Start Smart program is
identifying pregnant members as early as possible in their
pregnancies, as well as completing an assessment of any potential
health risks that these members might have. Once identified,
pregnant members receive educational materials through a variety of
means including mailings, phone contact and in-person visits.
Communication techniques have also been initiated to appeal
specifically to younger members, including text messaging, an
interactive website (www.startsmartforyourbaby.com), and MP3
players pre-programmed with educational podcasts. High-risk
pregnant members without regular access to a phone may also receive
a special cell phone with pre-programmed phone numbers to call
their doctors, our nurse triage line, and their case managers.
Finally, special kits containing helpful information and gifts are
provided to mothers with babies in the NICU. Centene plans to use a
series of centralized and streamlined reports to track, monitor and
report on outcomes for members that are enrolled in the Start Smart
program. About Centene Corporation Centene Corporation is a leading
multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related
services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid,
including the State Children�s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and
Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Company operates health
plans in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, South
Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. In addition, the Company contracts
with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide
specialty services including behavioral health, life and health
management, long-term care, managed vision, nurse triage, pharmacy
benefits management and treatment compliance. Information regarding
Centene is available via the Internet at www.centene.com.
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