Pilot Telehealth Program for Pregnant Medicaid Beneficiaries Passes Committee

Aiming to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies in New Jersey, especially those living in medically underserved communities, the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee passed a bill establishing a three-year pilot program providing remote maternal monitoring for certain Medicaid recipients. 

“The closest hospital providing comprehensive maternity care for women is nearly 50 miles away for some Cape May County residents. This limited access to health care plays a significant role in the health outcomes of South Jersey moms and babies,” McClellan said.

“A telehealth program for pregnant patients on Medicaid who are living in medically underserved communities like the southern shore region would give more moms the ability to receive critical prenatal care.”

Assemblyman Antwan McClellan (R-Cape May), a sponsor of the measure, says he hopes the program will be especially helpful for pregnant women in South Jersey, who lack local maternity care options.

Under the bill (A2202), health care providers could refer pregnant patients covered by Medicaid to the pilot program if they have limited access to obstetric care because of where they live or other socioeconomic factors, or if they are more likely to experience a high-risk pregnancy. 

According to the U.S. Maternal Vulnerability Index, pregnant women in South Jersey experience poorer health outcomes compared to other parts of the state. The March of Dimes reports that only 73% of women in New Jersey receive adequate prenatal care – one of the worst rates in the nation.  

“New Jersey’s Medicaid program covers about one-third of all births, which means nearly 30,000 women could potentially benefit from this pilot,” McClellan said. “It would give these women the flexibility they may need to get the care they deserve for a healthy pregnancy and baby.”

Services in the program would include remote patient monitoring of blood sugar and blood pressure, as well as non-stress tests and tele-ultrasounds. Qualified providers in another location would receive ultrasound images and other health information for interpretation. 

The state would need to obtain approval for federal waivers before the program could begin accepting patients.