Mae

Happy Black Maternal Health Week 2025! This year’s theme is “Healing Legacies: Strengthening Black Maternal Health Through Collective Action and Advocacy,” and it couldn’t resonate more with our mission at Mae. Mae’s work was founded on the principle that Black women deserve better - pregnancies, births, and postpartum care. We are addressing the disparities that impact our outcomes and reducing preterm births and cesarean section rates for birthing people nationwide. As a Black, female-founded organization, our individual legacies are our “why” and lead us directly to this important work. Yet history and experience only affirm that we don’t, and can’t, do it alone. Each of our unique stories, perspectives, and contributions are integral to driving the collective mission, and collaboration is fundamental to our continued progress. Mae has created a solution where mothers are empowered, doulas have autonomy, and plan partners have an avenue to reach and support their pregnant members holistically. The result is improved maternal health outcomes (up to 80% reductions in preterm birth rates and 30% reductions in C-section rates), a broader network of Medicaid-eligible and supported doulas nationwide, and reductions in the cost of care for our plan partners' most at-risk population. This year, we want to express gratitude for our partners on this journey of action and advocacy with us, working collaboratively towards our collective goal - advancing the state of Black maternal health in this country. There is no doubt that we are stronger together.  Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA) dedicates April 11-17 to raise awareness for the Black maternal mortality crisis in America and to celebrate all of the incredible members of the birthworker community who work tirelessly to protect and uplift mamas everywhere. Learn more about Black Maternal Health Week at blkmaternalhealthweek.com. Learn more about Mae at MeetMae.com, and follow us on Instagram at @maehealthinc.

Mae is proud to partner with one of the largest MCOs, serving both rural and urban populations of members and doulas in the Midwest. Within this partnership, upwards of 70% of our members are actively working with their doulas: proactively engaged in their care, enthusiastic about receiving childbirth education, and valuing the one-on-one physical and emotional support that doulas provide. Mae has demonstrated an 82% reduction in the preterm birth rates and >20% reductions in cesarean section rates among these doula-engaged members, with over 50% of our members having their doula at L&D. In fact, 70% of members that enroll in their last trimester (less than 2 months from their due date) are successfully matched with and able to have a doula present at their birth. These outcomes are the direct result of the layers of support Mae provides - care coordination, group-based virtual education, and 1:1 in-person doula support during the prenatal, birth, and postpartum period - all driving improved outcomes for members while also increasing sustainability and reducing the administrative burden for the doula workforce. The “doula effect” is real, and Mae provides a pathway for doulas to serve their communities in a sustainable way and on a larger scale – advancing advocacy and deserved equity in outcomes.   For more information about Mae, visit MeetMae.com and follow us on Instagram (@maehealthinc). Sources:  “Total Cesarean Deliveries: Michigan 2013-2023”, March of Dimes, 2023 “A Profile of Prematurity in Michigan”, March of Dimes, 2025

We are so excited to have entered into the Individual and Family and State Marketplace plans line of business - leveraging the breadth of learnings we have amassed in Medicaid over the past 3 years.  It’s not uncommon to see movement of beneficiaries from Medicaid to Marketplace and vice versa. This expansion allows Mae to support continuity of services and membership, even as personal circumstances and insurance coverage may change.  We’re excited to get to work in New York and California and look forward to expanding to marketplace participation across all of our markets in the year ahead. #marketexpansion #healthtech #healthequity

Mae is proud to continue to lead the charge in supporting doula reimbursement work nationwide. We have been on the ground in Illinois since 2023, and it is incredibly exciting to see efforts turn into tangible progress. Now that the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) recognizes eligible doulas as Medicaid Practitioners, doulas must demonstrate that they have completed the necessary training requirements to continue serving the Medicaid population in Illinois. Mae has successfully supported IMPACT eligibility for our doula community, a process that doulas have shared would otherwise have been a barrier to proceeding with Medicaid utilization. Through IMPACT, doulas will see increased reimbursement rates, and pregnant patients will receive more comprehensive care. Through Mae, doulas get support streamlining billing and member referrals (for free), and members benefit from real-time risk escalation, coordinated care, and local doula support. We are proud to continue to work towards change that drives birthworker sustainability and improved care for those at the highest risk. See what else we're doing at Mae… Through 1:1 doula support, we are working to ensure Illinois has a robust network of doulas to support Medicaid members. If you are a doula interested in utilizing Medicaid reimbursement or a partner interested in working with Mae, please visit MeetMae.com

Why does Mae focus on the preterm birth rate of our community? Infants born prematurely are at an increased risk of growth and developmental delays. In their first year of life, the cost of care for an infant born prematurely is 10 times that of a full-term infant, and with approximately 15% of Black births in the United States being pre-term, this prevalence costs billions to the U.S. healthcare system each year. Various factors, such as preeclampsia, carrying multiples, or uterine complications, can put a pregnant mother at risk for delivering preterm, and at Mae, our solution addresses those risks and fosters healthy, positive outcomes for our members. We strive to make doula support accessible to those who may otherwise be unable to have a doula. We are proud that in our 3 years of serving mothers, we have achieved a nearly 32% reduction in preterm births when one of our doulas is present at labor and delivery.    In addition to supporting healthier and safer births, Mae is decreasing the cost of care through collaboration with plan partners and local doulas. We take pride in our accomplishments over the past 3 years and look forward to creating even greater change. To learn more about Mae and how we can potentially partner, visit https://lnkd.in/eXbPbr3H. Sources: “A Health Crisis Impacting Women and Babies of Color”, March of Dimes, 2020 “Preterm labor and preterm birth: Are you at risk?”, March of Dimes, 2024

Happy Black History Month! At Mae, we celebrate the important figures that paved the way for our work today. We honor our namesake, Dr. May Chinn, daily by staying committed to serving mothers and doulas. Please read below to learn about Dr. Chinn and her incredible work in New York!

Mae is #hiring Our Doula Experience Team is growing! Check out the Doula Experience Specialist role below and please share it with anyone whose passion and skill set align! https://lnkd.in/dmJScvU3

We’re proud to be recognized on this year’s Digital Health 100! This annual list by Digital Health New York celebrates the most promising startups pushing the boundaries of innovation in NY’s healthcare industry. See the full #DH100 list and dive into the latest trends in the 2025 New York Healthcare Innovation Report: https://lnkd.in/gcUA3J7Q

Hey New York! Mae is growing and we need your help getting the word out! Do you know doulas in New York City who are interested in utilizing Medicaid reimbursement as a stream of income in their doula practice? Are you familiar with MCH organizations in NYC committed to equitable maternal healthcare that you think we should know about? Share this post with the NYC folks you know and tag them in the comments!

Please join us for the Transforming Maternal Health through Medicaid-Supported Doula Integrated Care Symposium on Tuesday, February 4th, 11:30a – 3:30p ET. This event is virtual and free. We are excited to collaborate with MITRE on this symposium and look forward to seeing you there! RSVP using this link: https://lnkd.in/eez79wYZ