Member Success Stories: Managing High-risk Pregnancies

Posted February 11th, 2009 by magnolia health plan & filed under Member News, Newsroom.

A 21-year-old member, pregnant with triplets, was ordered by her OB/GYN to stop working when she was 20 weeks pregnant, creating a financial hardship for her and her family. Our case management team helped her apply for a three bedroom, one-story apartment, and to secure food stamps in addition to her TANF benefits. We agreed to pay for certain living expenses for the duration of her pregnancy to ensure Dad could stay home, allowing Mom to rest. In order to prolong the pregnancy, the member’s doctor put her on progesterone injections – not a Medicaid-covered benefit.

This treatment was in the best interest of the mother, would prolong gestation, and produce a more positive outcome for the babies. As such, the injections were approved and paid. A licensed counselor met with the family weekly to address multiple issues and the family was referred to Club NICU, a local volunteer organization that provided emotional and financial support to families with prospective NICU admissions. Donations of maternity clothes, diapers and baby items (including three bassinets)
were collected and delivered to the family. To the amazement of hospital staff, the member managed to carry the triplets 10 additional weeks, and deliver three healthy babies.