WASHINGTON – Blue Cross Blue Shield Association President and CEO, Kim Keck, issued the following statement in support of the Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Transforming Maternal Health Model which aims to improve maternal health and birth outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and their newborns through a whole-person approach to care.

“Every person deserves to have the best care at all stages of their pregnancy, regardless of where they live or the color of their skin. We are facing a serious crisis in maternal health, and the concrete actions that HHS and CMS are taking to address disparities in care—especially when it comes postpartum care—will help improve the lives of many new mothers and babies.

"Three years ago, the Blues made a national commitment to advance maternal health equity. That commitment includes partnering directly with providers to improve the way care is delivered and expanding access to doulas and nurse midwives. It also includes a focus on data standards to drive equitable outcomes; investing in local communities; and advocating for policies that create a better system of health for all. Although we have seen the benefits of our efforts, much work remains.

“This new model is a critical step forward to meaningfully address the maternal health crisis. We look forward to collaborating with the administration, states and other health care leaders to close these extreme clinical care gaps.”