Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Celebrates Two Years of its Expanded Maternal and Infant Health Initiative

120,000 people served through partnership with clinical and community organizations

RICHARDSON, Texas, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is recognizing the two-year anniversary of its expanded Special Beginnings® Maternal and Infant Health Initiative. The goal of the initiative aims to improve the health of moms and babies throughout Texas, with an increased focus on access to quality care, reducing care gaps, educating and hyperlocal community engagement.

The program started in August 2023  to address the higher than the national average maternal mortality rate in Texas. According to the most recent March of Dimes data, in 2024 there were 28.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. In addition, Texas ranks poorly in access to prenatal care, with 22% of birthing people not receiving adequate prenatal care. The state also has a low percentage of women with a primary care physician.

Since its inception, the program has produced measurable success across the communities BCBSTX serves, resulting in:

• Serving more than 120,000 people through community and clinical partners specialized in maternal health services
  
  
• Screening nearly 79,000 preconception and prenatal patients for sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer
  
  
• Distributing nearly 3,800 prenatal vitamin bottles to community partners for distribution
  
  
• More than 5,000 healthy babies born via initiative labor and delivery community partners.

These efforts also include the investment in maternal health workforce development, such as doulas and midwives to reduce perinatal disparities.

"This marks an important milestone as we recognize the second year of our commitment to improve the health outcomes for the moms and babies of Texas," said Dr. Mark Chassay, BCBSTX VP and chief medical officer.  "We've served the state of Texas for more than 95 years, through every stage of life. That starts with maternal care. BCBSTX is committed to improving health outcomes in Texas every step of the way."

Through the Maternal and Infant Health Program, BCBSTX invested more than $10.2 million to 16 community partners that serve access to health care for moms and babies in Texas.

Learn more about our key partnerships here.  

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Celebrating 95 years of helping improve the health of Texans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with more than 168,000 physicians and health care practitioners, and 550 hospitals to serve eight million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas