Maternal child services
When it comes to pregnancy, we are committed to healthy outcomes.
New Baby, New LifeSM
The New Baby, New LifeSM program is a comprehensive proactive case management and care coordination program for all expectant members and their newborns. It offers:
- Individualized, one-on-one case management for pregnant members at the highest risk
- Care coordination for those who may need a little extra support
- Digital perinatal educational tools
- Information on community resources
- Incentives to keep up with prenatal and postpartum checkups and well-child visits after the baby is born
- Proactive care coordination and complex case management for parents of infants that are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
This program aims to identify pregnancies as early as possible. Once pregnant members are identified, we act quickly to assess obstetrical risk and ensure appropriate levels of care and care coordination services to mitigate risk.
Notification of pregnancy and delivery
Healthy Blue encourages notification of pregnancy after the first prenatal visit and notification of delivery following birth. Please submit your notification forms through Availity, or you may choose to fax the forms to Healthy Blue in Kansas at 800-964-3627.
Notification of Pregnancy form
Notification forms submissions
Submit via Availity: Availity
Submit via fax: 800-964-3627
Digital maternity program
As part of New Baby, New LifeSM, perinatal members have access to a digital maternity program. The digital program provides pregnant and postpartum members with proactive, culturally appropriate education via a smartphone app. Once members are identified as being pregnant, they will receive an invitation to access this program by downloading the app. After the app is installed and the member registers, they are asked to complete a pregnancy screener. The answers provided in the screener allows Healthy Blue to assess their pregnancy risk.
After risk assessment is complete, the digital program delivers gestational age-appropriate education directly to the member. This program does not replace the high-touch, individual case management approach for our highest risk pregnant members; however, it does serve as a supplementary tool to extend our health education outreach. The goal of the expanded outreach is to ensure maternity education is available to all perinatal members and help Healthy Blue to identify members who experience a change in risk acuity throughout the perinatal period.
For more information about New Baby, New LifeSM or the digital maternity program, please reach out to your OB Practice Consultant or Provider Services.
Substance use disorders in pregnancy and neonatal abstinence syndrome
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are on the rise and are of particular concern in people of childbearing age who are or may become pregnant. Obstetrician (OB) providers have a unique opportunity to help break the pattern of opioid misuse, thus, avoiding potential adverse birth outcomes. The important steps in this practice are to identify, treat, and/or refer to treatment those who are using or abusing unhealthy substances.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care coordination
If a baby is born prematurely or with a serious health condition, they may be admitted to the NICU. We believe the more parents know, the better they will be able to care for their infant. To support them, we have a NICU case management program.
We extend our support by helping parents to prepare themselves and their homes for when baby is released from the hospital. After baby is home, our care coordinators continue to provide education and assistance in improving the baby’s health, preventing unnecessary hospital readmissions, and guiding parents to community resources if needed.
The NICU can be a stressful place, bringing unique challenges and concerns that parents may have never imagined. The anxiety and stress related to having a baby in the NICU can potentially lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in parents and caregivers. To reduce the impact of PTSD among our members, we assist by:
- Helping parents engage with hospital-based support programs
- Facilitating parent screenings for potential PTSD.
- Connecting parents with behavioral health program resources and community support as needed.
- Actively asking for parent feedback on the provided resources and how an increased awareness of PTSD has helped.
For more information about our NICU case management program, reach out to your obstetrician practice consultant or Provider Services.