Matria Healthcare To Provide A Major National Health Plan With Expanded Continuum Of Maternity Care

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 28 Apr 2008 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Matria Healthcare, Inc., (NASDAQ: MATR) announced that it will expand its maternity services to a major national health plan by providing maternity risk assessment, member education and case management support services. When fully implemented, annualized revenues are expected to be in the range of $2.2 million.

Under the new terms, employers in the health plan's network will be able to use Matria's services to assist in the management of their employees' and members' pregnancy-related needs across the entire continuum of maternity care. The health plan network includes more than 4,200 hospitals, approximately 575,000 physician and ancillary providers nationally and provides health care coverage to more than 5,000 employers and over two million people.

"We look forward to building on our established relationship to deliver a more complete continuum of pregnancy care," said Gregg Raybuck, president of Women's and Children's Health at Matria. "It has been our experience that the earlier risk factors can be identified -- even before the pregnancy has occurred -- the better the clinical and financial outcomes for patients and healthcare providers."

Matria's expanded services to the client comprise a preconception education program, maternity risk screening, member education, case management of complicated cases and 24/7 access to highly experienced OB trained nurses. Matria currently provides the health plan with its comprehensive suite of home-based obstetrical services. Additionally, Matria provides a full suite of health enhancement programs and services, including wellness solutions and the management of chronic conditions.

"Matria's extensive national network of obstetrical RNs has vast experience in assisting physicians manage hundreds of thousands of complicated pregnancies with excellent clinical outcomes, while helping drive down costs," said Raybuck. "With the addition of these services, it is our aim to further improve clinical outcomes and increase overall member satisfaction in our expanded relationship."

According to Raybuck, the vital link to successful outcomes is how Matria's home-based obstetrical programs closely partner with healthcare providers to manage and monitor complicated pregnancy patients.

About Matria Healthcare

Matria Healthcare is a leading provider of integrated comprehensive health enhancement programs to health plans, employers and government agencies. Matria is dedicated to developing better educated, motivated and self-enabled healthcare consumers and supporting clinicians in managing the care of their patients. The Company manages major chronic diseases and episodic conditions including diabetes, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high-risk obstetrics, cancer, musculoskeletal and chronic pain, depression, obesity, and other conditions. Matria delivers programs that address wellness, healthy living, productivity improvement and navigation of the healthcare system, and provides case management of acute and catastrophic conditions. Headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, Matria operates through nearly 50 offices around the United States. More information about Matria can be found online at http://www.matria.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements include but are not limited to the revenue expectations from the expanded relationship and the impact of the Company's maternity services on providing earlier risk identification, better pregnancy clinical and financial outcomes and increased member satisfaction. These statements are based on current information and belief, and are not guarantees of future performance. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include failure to achieve the anticipated revenues, inability of the maternity services to provide earlier risk identification, better pregnancy outcomes and improved member satisfaction, developments in the healthcare industry, third-party actions over which Matria does not have control, regulatory requirements applicable to Matria's business and the risk factors detailed from time to time in Matria's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Matria's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007. By making these forward-looking statements, Matria does not undertake to update them in any manner except as may be required by Matria's disclosure obligations in filings it makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the federal securities laws.

Matria Healthcare