Texas programs

The emotional costs of premature birth to families is high—and so are the financial costs to businesses.  Data from the MarketScan® Research Databases from Thomson Reuters, analyzed for the March of Dimes, illustrate the serious and far-reaching impact of the problem. (Endnote # 3 Based on analysis of births between January 1 and December 31, 2005.  Expenditures have been adjusted to 2007 dollars using the Bureau of Labor Consumer Price Index for Medical Care.  Population weights were developed using age, sex and region strata from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Database.  MarketScan® Research Databases from Thomson Reuters are constructed from privately insured paid medical and prescription drug claims.  Data contributors are large self-insured U.S. employers.)

Infant Health Care Costs (Endnote # 4 Includes health plan payments, out-of-pocket payments and coordination of benefits payments).

The direct health care costs to employers for a premature baby, from birth through the first year of life, average $49,033—almost 11 times as high as the $4,551 for a healthy baby.

Maternal Health Care Costs (Endnote # 5 Institute of Medicine.  Preterm Birth:  Causes, Consequences, and Prevention.  National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 2006).

The cost to employers for maternal health care, including prenatal care, delivery and postpartum care, increases 75 percent with a diagnosis of prematurity.

The March of Dimes offers a no-cost, multidimensional worksite wellness program that is tailored to the needs of your company and promotes a pregnancy- and family-friendly work environment.  Through the online component My 9 months, moms-to-be are served with complete and easy-to-read preconception and pregnancy health information from a respected authority in the field.

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