Maternal Healthcare Faces Growing Communication Crisis

The report, "The Communication Chasm," surveyed 300 mothers and 50 health plan executives, exposing a reality where quantity of communication is mistaken for quality. While 68% of health plan leaders identify member navigation as a top priority for the next two years, their own data suggests they are failing: only 4% of executives believe their members understand their coverage "very well."

The friction points are tangible and frequent. Among mothers surveyed, 41% reported feeling underconfident when bringing their newborns home, and 36% stated that communications were not provided in their preferred language. Even when plans utilize text messaging—the most effective channel identified in the study—only 28% of recipients found the content valuable. Mothers consistently struggle with fundamental coverage questions, most notably regarding the duration of postpartum benefits, specific service inclusions, and financial responsibilities like copays and deductibles. Dan D'Orazio, CEO of Sage Growth Partners, noted that the industry must move beyond volume to ensure every interaction is relevant and actionable.