New Ohio program aims to improve maternal health care

The state of Ohio has launched a new program designed to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies on Medicaid.

The new program, called Comprehensive Maternal Care, will incentivize obstetrical practices to connect pregnant and postpartum Medicaid patients with resources that affect their health outside the doctor’s office, like housing, food and transportation, according to a media release.

“We think that some of them will use these resources to partner with a community health worker organization or social workers to make sure that those other needs that a woman has beyond medical care are being addressed,” said Marisa Weisel, a deputy director at the Ohio Department of Medicaid.