Infertility Treatment
WHS supports the development of tiered conditional benefits that encourage women to obtain infertility treatment at Centers of Excellence (COE).  Additionally, members with no infertility benefits may be able to receive a discount if they seek treatment at one of these centers.  This helps ensure that women are receiving the best possible care from a reproductive endocrinologist - obstetrician with special training in the field of infertility, and who is affiliated with a center that has achieved and maintains compliance with recognized quality criteria.

Pregnancy and Childbirth
A pregnancy notification requirement enables the expectant mother to be included in a Healthy Pregnancy Program that can educate and screen for possible high risk pregnancies.  The program includes two risk screens at the end of the first and second trimesters.  Women who may develop a high risk pregnancy are put in touch with experienced obstetrical care management nurses with oversight by maternal fetal specialists.

In addition, WHS has rolled out a program in Cincinnati, Ohio, to provide women with treatment decision support and education on the disadvantages of elective cesarean births.  Additionally, WHS will continue to look for other opportunities that drive improvement in this area ,such as providing physicians with information on how their cesarean rates compare to peers across the country.

Perinatal
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Program serves fully-insured members who have been identified as high risk.  A neonatal nurse contacts the expectant mother and encourages her to consider delivering her baby at one of UnitedHealthcare's designated Neonatal Centers of Excellence in her area.  The neonatal nurse provides care management while the baby is in the hospital and also helps the family manage the transition to home care.

Congenital Anomalies
Congential heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and the number one cause of death from birth during the first year of life.  Out of 1,000 births, eight babies will have some form of CHD.  This translates into approximately 35,000 babies who are born each year in the United States with CHD.  UnitedHealthcare's CHD program provides guided access to a network of qualified CHD centers and nurse consulting services to help patients understand and manage conditions associated with CHD.

Genitourinary
Research indicates that many genitourinary conditions are treated with surgery when less invasive treatments can provide positive outcomes with faster recovery times.  This program focuses on avoiding unnecessary surgical procedures to treat these conditions.  WHS provides treatment decision support to assist women in making the best care decision in these instances.