The Louisiana Legislature has passed a resolution urging the Louisiana Department of Health to apply for participation in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model. Announced on December 15, 2023, this initiative aims to enhance maternal health care for individuals enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by adopting a comprehensive approach to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. The TMaH Model focuses on addressing physical and mental health needs, as well as health-related social factors, with the goal of reducing disparities in access and treatment, improving outcomes for mothers and newborns, and lowering overall program costs.

The TMaH Model emphasizes three key areas: improving access to care and workforce capacity, enhancing quality and safety, and delivering whole-person care. It aims to fill gaps in maternal health services by promoting access to midwives and doulas, improving prenatal care for chronic conditions, and reducing unnecessary medical procedures for low-risk mothers. Additionally, participating states will be required to develop health equity plans to address disparities among underserved populations and extend postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage to twelve months. The application for participation is due in Summer 2024, with a three-year preimplementation phase followed by a seven-year implementation period.