Expanding maternal care access through Virginia’s community pharmacies

Maternal health continues to present a national emergency in the United States, with mortality and morbidity rates disproportionately impacting women enrolled in Medicaid and in communities of color. These challenges are amplified in rural communities, where shortages of maternity providers, limited broadband availability and long wait times delay access to prenatal and postpartum care. In Virginia, these trends are especially pronounced: as of 2024, 37.6% of counties in the state were classified as maternity care deserts.¹

When early prenatal care, consistent monitoring and postpartum support are out of reach, the consequences are delayed detection of complications, preventable hospitalizations and poorer outcomes for mothers and babies. To address these barriers, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Virginia is implementing a new strategy that brings care directly to where members are. Through the Pharmacy Care Hub model, in collaboration with the Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN), community pharmacies are being transformed into frontline access points capable of delivering medical screenings, virtual care, education and social support. These efforts are reinforced with additional maternity-focused benefits, such as fresh produce deliveries for mothers with gestational diabetes and diaper rewards for completing prenatal and postpartum visits. The goal is to improve engagement and whole-person care in practical, meaningful ways.

Expanding access through neighborhood pharmacies

The UHC-CPESN Pharmacy Care Hub network now includes 73 participating pharmacies across Virginia, with 85% of known pregnant Medicaid members living within 30 minutes of one. This proximity is especially valuable in communities facing limited OB/GYN availability. At these hubs, members can receive no-cost pregnancy testing, counseling and care pathway guidance, immediate referrals to OB/GYN services and streamlined enrollment into the Healthy First Steps maternal care support program.

By initiating engagement earlier, pharmacies help reduce delays or gaps in prenatal care and improve continuity, particularly in rural or transportation-limited areas.

Continuous monitoring and real-time support

Pharmacy Care Hubs are designed to stay connected to members throughout their pregnancy by offering on-site support that would be difficult to achieve through traditional in-office appointments alone. Services include:

• Blood pressure and glucose testing, supporting early detection of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes
• Access to virtual care via private Doctor Chat tablets, helping overcome broadband or privacy challenges at home
• Navigation support through the MyUHC.com Community Connector, linking members to food, housing, transportation and other social resources
  

These services address both clinical needs and real-world circumstances that can determine whether a member is able to follow through with their care plan.

Supporting emotional well-being and behavioral health

Postpartum depression screening is a critical, but sometimes missed, component of maternal care. To help close this gap, pharmacy staff are trained to conduct PHQ-9 screenings. Positive screens trigger expedited referrals to behavioral health services while frequent pharmacy touchpoints allow for ongoing relationship-based support. These behavioral health screenings help to identify behavioral needs quicker, particularly in settings or locations where dedicated mental health services may be hard to access.

Whole-person benefits that strengthen engagement

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Virginia is pairing medical support with practical benefits that directly ease financial, food and care-continuity barriers. The health plan is supporting mothers who have gestational diabetes with fresh produce boxes. Qualifying members can receive up to 10 Farmbox Rx deliveries as well as culturally tailored meals and nutrition education materials. In its first month, 98 mothers enrolled in the Farmbox program, helping improve disease management while addressing food insecurity and health literacy.

With regard to maternal visit incentives, members who complete recommended prenatal and postpartum appointments can receive up to four cases (approximately 500 diapers) delivered directly to their home. This incentive brings tangible relief during early parenthood while reinforcing continuity of care.

Innovation with system-level impact

The Pharmacy Care Hub model represents a shift toward proactive, community-centered maternal health. It expands the effective provider workforce by empowering pharmacists and reduces reliance on long wait times or limited OB/GYN availability. The model uses real-time monitoring and virtual care to close gaps faster and integrates clinical, behavioral and social needs within a single coordinated model. By bringing care into trusted community locations, this initiative is improving access, increasing follow-through and supporting healthier pregnancies and births across Virginia.

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Virginia is redefining how maternal care can be delivered by moving essential services closer to home and into the heart of communities. Through the Pharmacy Care Hub model, Virginia’s community pharmacies are now functioning as tech-enabled care hubs offering diagnostic support, virtual visit access, behavioral health screening, SDoH navigation and ongoing engagement.

Combined with whole-person supports such as produce delivery and diaper rewards, this approach is closing long-standing gaps in care, expanding access for mothers in need and improving health outcomes for newborns and families statewide. By meeting members where they are, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Virginia is helping build a more connected and effective maternal health system across the state.

Learn more about the maternal health improvements we’ve made since 2020.

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