CMS awards contract to implement text4baby in four states

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has awarded a three-year contract to support the implementation of text4baby, the nation's largest and only free mobile health service for expecting and new moms, in four still-to-be-determined states.

According to the announcement, CMS is currently working with text4baby founding partners Voxiva and the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition to determine the target states for this pilot project. 

"Once the states are selected, the partners will work with the State Medicaid agencies, Medicaid managed care organizations, health providers and other partners in each state to expand efforts to enroll Medicaid beneficiaries in the service," states the announcement. "The text4baby messages will also be customized in each state so that users receive state-specific information on available health services and benefits. State partners will also have access to real-time text4baby data on enrollment, utilization and self-reported outcomes."

In February 2012, CMS announced that it would partner with text4Baby to promote enrollment in both Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program and provide pregnant women and new mothers free text messages on important health care issues. 

This latest four state-initiative expands efforts to enroll Medicaid beneficiaries in the service, and will customize text4baby messages to include state-specific information and assess text4baby's impact on improving health outcomes. In addition, the project will focus on improving a range of specific health quality measures including rates of pre- and post-partum care and well-baby visit attendance.

Last month, Rite Aid, one of the largest drugstore chains in the country, became the first national retail partner of text4baby. Since its launch in 2010, text4baby has enrolled more than 630,000 moms and delivered over 75 million health messages and urgent alerts.

To learn more:
- read the announcement