二月 4, 2025​​ 

新路線圖概述了為孕婦和產後醫療成員創建更公平和以患者為中心的制度的策略​​ 

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.​​ 
• 改善服務取得和協調：加強整個服務流程的護理，包括臨床、行為和社會支持服務。​​ 
• 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.​​ 

分娩護理路徑是California多年致力於改善孕產婦健康狀況的一部分，孕產婦健康改革已經開始。 DHCS正在中央谷地的五個縣（ Kern 、 Fresno縣、 Kings 、 Tulare和Madera ）實施聯邦十年「轉變孕產婦健康(TMaH) 模式」。 TMaH 是一種服務提供和支付模式，旨在檢驗有效實施循證幹預措施，並輔以基於價值的支付模式，能否改善孕產婦結局並降低加州醫療Program (
Medi-Cal
的支出。協作過程：生育護理路徑體現了孕產婦和產後Medi-Cal會員、州合作夥伴以及一系列醫療保健和社會服務提供者、社區組織 (CBO) 和倡導者的協作努力，確保在California生育和孕產婦保健的未來中採取以社區知情的政策方法。 此外， California醫療保健基金會和戴維和露西爾·帕卡德基金會也提供了資金，以支持參與和報告撰寫。 Medi-Cal 會員的關鍵見解凸顯了關鍵需求，例如尊重生育意願、獲得種族相符且以文化為中心的護理、改善行為健康支持以及更好的護理協調。成員的經驗直接影響了該路徑的政策建議。欲了解更多信息，請 分娩護理路徑網頁

「了解了分娩護理途徑後，我感到如釋重負，也看到了希望，因為這意味著我可以照顧好自己和寶寶的健康，而不會增加額外的壓力，」一位11個月大寶寶的母親M. Thao說道。「每次我打電話尋求幫助以了解資源和註冊該Program時， Medi-Cal都會給我明確的指導。 “我希望California的每一位準媽媽都能擁有那種知道自己會平安無事的安心感。”​​  

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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通訊辦公室​​ 
(916) 440-7660
DHCSPress@dhcs.ca.gov​​