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Addressing Maternal Mortality in Medicaid by Focusing on Mental Health
On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Inland Empire Health Plan, a managed care plan serving more than 1.4 million residents on Medi-Cal in California, about a new maternal mental health program aimed at supporting new mothers, both before they give birth and afterward.
Mental health issues and substance use disorder are some of the contributing factors to America’s high maternal mortality rates, in addition to poverty, racism, and lack of access to adequate health care. Last year, the CDC reported that suicide accounts for 9% of the maternal mortality rate 1 year postpartum. Anxiety, perinatal and postpartum depression, and birth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 individuals, and for those affected, 75% do not get treatment. Women of color are both more likely to experience these conditions and less likely to seek help.
On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Heather Waters, LCSW who leads the maternal health and children’s health services team at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), a managed care plan serving more than 1.4 million residents on Medi-Cal in California.
She tells us about a new maternal mental health program at IEHP aimed at supporting new mothers, both before they give birth and afterward.
As CMS Embarks on “Rural Transformation,” a New Jersey Health System Weighs In
July 19th 2025CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, MBA, visited AtlantiCare leaders in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to discuss the need for legislative and regulatory reform, as well as the $50 billion Rural Transformation Program.
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Best of Managed Care Cast: Top 5 Episodes From the First Half of 2025
July 18th 2025These interviews are the top episodes, by listens, from among the 21 podcast episodes The American Journal of Managed Care® produced over the first half of 2025. Give them all another listen, and perhaps learn something new.
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Addressing Racial Disparities in Minority Mental Health and Finding Support in 2025
July 18th 2025National Minority Mental Health Month emphasizes the persistent mental health disparities among US racial and ethnic minorities, stemming from lower access to services, lack of culturally competent providers, discrimination, and medical mistrust, underscoring the need for dedicated resources and community action.
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