Maternal Health Outcomes
Learn how the AI-generated research projects were createdOverall Conclusion
Overall, we found an increase in the number of pregnant women in Louisiana who did not receive prenatal care as recommended, with pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries representing a disproportionate share of women without prenatal care.
Source Document
Audit Scope
This evaluation covered the period January 2018 through December 2024. In some instances, analyses included information before and after this scope.
Key Findings Summary
Pregnant women in Louisiana experienced an increase in not receiving prenatal care as recommended, with pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries representing a disproportionate share of this population.
Natality data show the percentage of all pregnant women not receiving prenatal care in the first trimester increased from 22.5% in 2018 to 25.9% in 2023; among pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries, 76.4% did not have timely access to prenatal care, higher than the national rate of 57.8% for pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries (2018-2023).
Medicaid complaint data indicate issues with pregnant beneficiaries not being able to access obstetric care; provider networks show gaps, with 163 of 893 OBGYN Medicaid providers having no claims (Jul 2023-Dec 2023) and 24 of 64 parishes had no OBGYNs providing services (Dec 2023).
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AI-Assisted
AI Scope Summary
Build on this report by focusing future Medicaid audits on expanding access to obstetric care in rural areas, increasing CNM participation and provider reimbursement to Medicare levels, enhancing case management targeting high-risk pregnant beneficiaries, and ensuring MCIP incentives are aligned with measurable maternal health outcomes and patient-centered results.
AI-Generated Insight
The Maternal Health Outcomes audit highlights significant access and quality gaps in prenatal and obstetric care for Medicaid beneficiaries, including provider network adequacy, limited case management reach and timeliness, and misaligned or duplicative incentive programs (MCIP) that did not consistently drive measurable outcomes. Strengthening provider reimbursement, expanding CNM access, and enhancing data tracking for maternal health complaints and case management could improve both access and outcomes; future audits should track outcome-based metrics and the effectiveness of MCIP reforms.