Wednesday, February 5, 2025
2/5/2025
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)- Office of Medicaid Services (OMS), will utilize the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model to strengthen the Perinatal System of Care (PSOC) with the overarching goal of improving the health of pregnant people and infants in Maine and reducing health disparities based on race, ethnicity, and geography. OMS is applying for $16,976,503.90 to implement the TMaH Model which will bolster the work the Maine DHHS has been doing with statewide partners to improve the PSOC since 2019. Currently, several state and health care organizations have time-limited federal funding to improve maternal health and TMaH represents an opportunity for OMS to play a critical role in bringing infrastructure and implementation resources to Maine, expand Medicaid coverage and reimbursement models that support access to a broad range of maternity services, and build on the previous extension of Medicaid Eligibility to 12 months postpartum in Maine in 2022. OMS’ work on TMaH will focus on three main areas: access to care, infrastructure, and workforce capacity; quality improvement and safety; and whole-person care delivery. OMS will engage partners from across the health care, social services, and government sectors to develop the TMaH Model with technical assistance from CMS during the three-year planning period and work towards model implementation over the last seven years of the project. OMS will implement the ten required elements and three optional elements of the TMaH Model. The first three required elements include increasing access to certified nurse midwifery workforce; exploring licensure of birth centers; and covering doula services under OMS. OMS will also work on improving data infrastructure to inform quality improvement efforts and support improved maternity health. A significant focus of OMS work will be developing a value-based maternity services payment model for OMS providers to support the transformation work required in the TMaH Model, including the optional element of developing reimbursement for group perinatal care. OMS will also support the Perinatal Quality Collaborative for Maine’s work with maternity hospitals and birth hospitals to implement patient safety bundles and achieve the “Birthing Friendly” designation from CMS. In addition, as part of the TMaH Model, OMS will work with maternity providers on increasing risk assessments, screening, referrals and follow ups for perinatal depression, anxiety, tobacco use, substance use disorder, and health related social needs. OMS will link this work to the “optional” element of increasing Perinatal Community Health Worker (CHW) capacity in participating communities. OMS will also work closely with maternity and community providers to increase home monitoring of diabetes and hypertension; this will connect to the optional TMaH pillar of increasing Home Visits, Mobile Clinics and Telehealth. OMS will also fund consultants to study how to create Part nerships in Rural Areas to ensure access to the appropriate level of maternity care for pregnant people. Finally, OMS is committed to ensuring that health equity and patient engagement is an important part of TMaH. OMS will develop a Health Equity Plan that builds on several recent needs assessments in Maine around improving access to maternity care in rural and diverse communities and aligns with work at DHHS. The TMaH Model will allow OMS to work with partners to transform the health care landscape in Maine to support perinatal health and ensure a healthy start in life for pregnant people, moms, babies and families.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).