FirstCare Health Plans and Alere Health Unveil Expecting the Best Maternity Program

• Maternity management program provides resources to help support a healthy pregnancy
• Online tools and nurse outreach available to Texans enrolled in FirstCare Health Plans

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FirstCare Health Plans has partnered with Alere Health to launch Expecting the Best Maternity Program, a maternity management program designed to complement the care provided to pregnant members by their physicians. The program emphasizes the importance of perinatal care and the patient/provider relationship, while providing FirstCare members with access to additional support and online resources.

"The new Expecting the Best Maternity Program helps us better serve our expectant members by giving them the tools they need to manage their pregnancies in concert with the care they receive from their physicians,” said FirstCare Chief Medical Officer Adolfo Valadez. “That access to quality care and information aligns with our belief that Texans and our communities should be healthy."

FirstCare members who enroll in the program, which is available at no additional cost under FirstCare plans, receive educational materials on pregnancy-related issues and access to online information and tools, including a 24/7 toll-free BabyLine® staffed by experienced OB nurses.

“Working with FirstCare, Alere Health has designed a maternity management program to complement the care provided by physicians to guide and support members through their pregnancies,” says Heather Zeitz, senior vice president of product development for Alere Health. “Our risk assessment and case management services will enable FirstCare to identify expectant members at risk for complications that can lead to preterm birth so they can follow up with appropriate interventions.”

In addition to the educational materials, enrollees receive three health assessments at various stages during pregnancy and may be referred to case management for additional support. The case management portion of the Expecting the Best Maternity Program leverages the expertise and experience of high-risk OB nurse case managers. Similar programs developed by Alere Health for other companies have been shown to prolong pregnancies, improve birth weights and minimize hospitalizations.

Alere Health outreaches to members by phone to offer the Expecting the Best Maternity Program. Once enrolled, members can access the easy-to-use online helpful education tools and articles through the self-service health portal.

About FirstCare Health Plans

Our mission is to provide access to high quality, affordable health care through strong partnerships in the communities we serve.

Since 1985, we’ve been serving the health care needs of members across North, West, and Central Texas. Today, our service area includes 108 counties, with local offices in Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, Waco, and corporate offices in Austin, Texas. We offer a wide range of HMO, PPO, HSA, and ASO products through a variety of programs, including small and large employer plans; state, federal and teacher plans; government programs; and the Health Insurance Marketplace. With the support of our owners, Covenant Health in Lubbock and Hendrick Health System in Abilene, we serve over 176,000 members. For more information, please visit www.firstcare.com.

About Alere Health

Alere Health has more than 20 years of experience helping organizations drive positive healthy behavior change, reduce health risks and avoid preventable healthcare costs. We serve health plans, employers, public entities and provider organizations by delivering high-quality personal interactions within comprehensive wellness, chronic condition and high-risk pregnancy management services. Our personalized care is delivered via evidence-based health coaching, telephonic nursing and care coordination services that lead to improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.(© 2015 Alere Health, LLC. All rights reserved. Alere is a trademark of Alere Inc. BabyLine is a trademark of Alere Health, LLC.)

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FirstCare Health Plans

Connie Mulqueen, 512-257-6398

Corporate Communications

[email protected]

Source: Alere Health