Lub Ob Hlis 4, 2025​​ 

Daim phiaj xwm tshiab qhia txog cov tswv yim los tsim kom muaj kev sib haum xeeb ntau dua thiab muaj kev sib haum xeeb rau tus neeg mob rau cov neeg cev xeeb tub thiab tom qab yug me nyuam Medi-Cal​​ 

SACRAMENTO – The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) today released the Birthing Care Pathway report, a comprehensive plan to improve maternity care for Medi-Cal members. This roadmap covers the journey of all pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members from conception through 12 months postpartum, aiming to make care accessible, equitable, and patient-centered.​​ 

“The Birthing Care Pathway represents a critical step forward in California’s commitment to improving maternal health,” said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “By centering member experiences, aligning policies with actionable recommendations, and strengthening partnerships across sectors, we aim to ensure every Medi-Cal member has access to safe, equitable, and comprehensive maternity care.”​​ 

KEY OBJECTIVES: The Birthing Care Pathway report details policies DHCS has implemented or is in the process of implementing to support all pregnant and postpartum members enrolled in Medi-Cal. Additionally, the report identifies opportunities for future exploration.

The Birthing Care Pathway prioritizes:​​ 

• Reducing maternal mortality and morbidity: Establishing evidence-based interventions to save lives.​​ 
• Addressing health disparities: Tackling racial and ethnic inequities in maternal care, particularly for Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander individuals who face the most significant maternal care and outcomes gaps in California.​​ 
• Txhim kho kev nkag mus thiab kev sib koom tes: Txhim kho kev saib xyuas thoob plaws qhov txuas ntxiv mus, suav nrog kev pabcuam kho mob, kev coj cwj pwm, thiab kev txhawb nqa hauv zej zog.​​ 
• Modernizing payment models: Transitioning to a value-based payment system to incentivize quality care.​​ 

The Birthing Care Pathway will work to achieve these objectives by transforming Medi-Cal’s maternity policy to create a member-centered approach to prenatal and postpartum care that meets members where they are and provides whole-person care that addresses behavioral health and social needs in addition to medical needs. DHCS will revise and modernize existing Medi-Cal policies to provide members with increased choice of types of maternity providers and supports, like doulas, community health workers, and others, and creating critical linkages between health care and other programs across the state to make it easier for members to get the full range of needed services.​​ 

Additionally, DHCS will address the needs of special populations who are pregnant/postpartum, including people involved with the justice system, individuals with severe mental health and substance use needs, LGBTQI+ individuals, and Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander individuals.​​ 

DHCS will continue working with state departments, including the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Office of the California Surgeon General (OSG), maternity care and social services providers, state and local leaders, Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCP), birth equity advocates, and other partners to implement the Birthing Care Pathway policies outlined in the report. Continuing to engage a diverse set of partners to implement and further develop the Birthing Care Pathway will be vital to align the numerous maternity initiatives occurring so they are not siloed.​​ 

“Through a comprehensive, whole-person approach, California is not just enhancing perinatal health, but we are setting a bold new standard for care that delivers better outcomes for families statewide,” said California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos. “The Birthing Care Pathway is a vital addition to the state’s efforts that advance perinatal health, building on the innovative, collaborative work already underway.”​​ 

“Having served rural communities throughout my career, I know that providing access to services from conception through one year postpartum has always been a challenge,” said Dr. Robert Moore, Chief Medical Officer at Partnership HealthPlan of California. “Collaborations like the DHCS Birthing Care Pathway are vital in bringing together multiple partners and stakeholders to find solutions. The entire community must engage on this issue to make lasting progress.”​​ 

WHY THIS MATTERS: Nearly one in eight U.S. births occur in California, and 40 percent of those births are covered by Medi-Cal. While California currently has the lowest maternal mortality rate in the nation, Medi-Cal members have a higher rate of maternal mortality than individuals with commercial insurance.​​ 

While the Birthing Care Pathway lays out a long-term strategy for transforming maternity care in Medi-Cal, many services and supports are already available to pregnant and postpartum members. Medi-Cal members can access comprehensive maternity care, including prenatal and postpartum visits, doula services, behavioral health care, and lactation support, through their health plan and provider network. DHCS remains committed to improving and expanding these services as part of the ongoing work to implement the Birthing Care Pathway.​​ 

ABOUT THE BIRTHING CARE PATHWAY: The Birthing Care Pathway includes policy recommendations that address the physical, behavioral, and health-related social needs of pregnant and postpartum members. Opportunities include improving access to providers, strengthening clinical care and care coordination, providing whole-person care, and modernizing how Medi-Cal pays for maternity care.​​ 

Txoj Kev Saib Xyuas Menyuam Yug Me Nyuam yog ib feem ntawm kev cog lus ntau xyoo los hloov pauv kev noj qab haus huv ntawm niam hauv California, thiab kev hloov pauv kev noj qab haus huv ntawm niam twb tau ua tiav lawm. DHCS tab tom siv txoj cai lij choj kaum xyoo Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) hauv tsib lub nroog Central Valley: Kern, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, thiab Madera. TMaH yog ib qho qauv kev xa khoom thiab kev them nyiaj uas tsim los sim seb kev siv cov kev cuam tshuam uas muaj pov thawj zoo, uas txhawb nqa los ntawm tus qauv kev them nyiaj raws li tus nqi, puas tuaj yeem txhim kho cov txiaj ntsig ntawm niam thiab txo cov nuj nqis ntawm Medi-Cal.

TXHEEJ TXHEEM KEV SIB KOOM TES: Txoj Kev Saib Xyuas Thaum Yug Me Nyuam qhia txog kev sib koom tes ntawm cov tswv cuab Medi-Cal uas cev xeeb tub thiab tom qab yug me nyuam, cov neeg koom tes hauv xeev thiab ntau tus neeg muab kev pabcuam kev noj qab haus huv thiab kev pabcuam hauv zej zog, cov koom haum hauv zej zog (CBO), thiab cov neeg tawm tswv yim, kom ntseeg tau tias muaj txoj cai tswjfwm hauv zej zog rau yav tom ntej ntawm kev yug me nyuam thiab kev saib xyuas kev noj qab haus huv ntawm niam hauv California. Tsis tas li ntawd xwb, lub koom haum California Health Care Foundation thiab lub koom haum David & Lucile Packard Foundation tau muab nyiaj txiag los txhawb kev koom tes thiab kev tsim daim ntawv qhia. Cov kev nkag siab tseem ceeb los ntawm cov tswv cuab Medi-Cal tau hais txog cov kev xav tau tseem ceeb, xws li kev hwm cov kev nyiam yug me nyuam, kev nkag mus rau kev saib xyuas uas sib haum xeeb thiab muaj kab lis kev cai, kev txhawb nqa kev noj qab haus huv zoo dua, thiab kev sib koom tes saib xyuas zoo dua. Cov kev paub ntawm cov tswv cuab tau hloov pauv cov lus qhia ntawm txoj cai. Yog xav paub ntxiv, thov mus saib nplooj ntawv web Birthing Care Pathway.

"Kev kawm txog Txoj Kev Saib Xyuas Thaum Yug Me Nyuam ua rau kuv muaj kev nplij siab thiab kev cia siab vim nws txhais tau tias kuv tuaj yeem saib xyuas kuv thiab kuv tus menyuam txoj kev noj qab haus huv yam tsis muaj kev ntxhov siab ntxiv," M. Thao, niam ntawm tus menyuam mos hnub nyoog 11 lub hlis hais. Txhua zaus kuv hu xov tooj kom pab nrhiav cov peev txheej thiab sau npe rau qhov kev pab cuam, kuv tau txais cov lus qhia meej los ntawm Medi-Cal. Qhov kev xav tias koj yuav tsis ua li cas yog qhov kuv vam tias txhua tus niam txiv uas yug menyuam hauv California tuaj yeem cia siab rau.​​  

A BROADER VISION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH: DHCS will work with MCPs, providers, CBOs, and other stakeholders to implement TMaH Model elements, which are aligned with and complementary to the Birthing Care Pathway. Additionally, DHCS is working with the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, CDPH, and OSG to develop a Maternal Health Strategic Plan by September 2025 to improve maternal health throughout California.​​ 

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(916) 440-7660
DHCSPress@dhcs.ca.gov​​