How Nest Health Is Redefining Primary Care for Families
The Problem: A Broken System for Mothers and Children
The United States has long struggled with maternal and child health outcomes. According to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, Louisiana ranks 49th in child well-being. A March of Dimes report gave the state an 'F' for maternal and infant health, citing 39 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births. These grim statistics are symptoms of a healthcare system that consistently fails its most vulnerable.
"The U.S. is lagging behind other high-income nations when it comes to maternal and child health outcomes, and this is no accident," says Dr. Rebekah Gee, Founder and CEO of Nest Health. "The resources families have to care for themselves are intimately connected to the well-being of both caregivers and children—and we falter on those."
Dr. Gee, a practicing OB/GYN and former Louisiana Secretary of Health, saw the need for a radically different approach based on her public service and clinical experience. "We expect parents and kids to go to all these visits, often without reliable transportation or paid leave. We don't have affordable childcare, yet we built a healthcare system that assumes people can drop everything to get care. They simply can't."
The Solution: Whole-Family, In-Home, Value-Based Care
In 2021, Dr. Gee, former Secretary of Health of Louisiana, founded Nest Health with Rebecca Kavoussi, former president of Landmark Health, to close these gaps. Nest Health is a value-based healthcare practice delivering in-home and virtual care to families, providing comprehensive medical, behavioral, and social care to the whole family. Their care model is designed around families, not individuals, providing access to check-ups, vaccinations, labs, sick visits, mental health support, 24/7 clinical care and support, coordination with specialists, and additional services..
Nest Health Founders Rebekah Gee, MD, MPH, FACOG and Rebecca Kavoussi, MPP | Image courtesy of Nest Health
"Families eat together, experience addiction together, and experience poverty and poor health together," says Dr. Gee. "Treating an individual alone, especially a high-risk caregiver, ignores this reality."
Nest Health reimagines the traditional care delivery model by providing 90-minute initial in-home visits to address the full scope of a family’s needs.
Proof of Impact: Innovation That Matters
Casme Carter, a mom of one daughter, experienced a postpartum health crisis in 2022. After nine days in the hospital, she was discharged in pain and without the home health support she desperately needed. A year later, she discovered Nest Health and found the care she had once been denied.
"I was afraid to leave the hospital because I was in so much pain, I could barely walk or move—how was I going to take care of a baby? I needed help, and I was denied,” says Carter, a Nest Health patient. “Then I found Nest Health. They come into your home with kindness and no judgment. Every experience I've had has been amazing. They love you and your family, and I am so grateful."
Since its launch, thousands of Medicaid-covered families in the great New Orleans area have access to Nest Health’s high-quality care at no additional cost. . The early outcomes are striking:
91% of parents completed a postpartum visit within 30 days, compared to the Medicaid national average of 58%
93% of patient calls are resolved without escalation
Initial home visits average 90 minutes—longer than traditional care—to address the complex needs of families
Ramos family poses with Nest Health Care Team | Photo courtesy of Nest Health
“Our first session was amazing. The energy and service were impeccable. My daughter is 10 months old and was singing, dancing, and enjoying our new providers. Intimate and exclusive—exactly what we needed. I wish I had known about you during my pregnancy and delivery journey! I highly recommend Nest Health to everyone!” — Family of 2, including newborn.
The company has raised over $20 million to date, including a recent $4M seed extension led by SpringTide Ventures. Other backers include Alumni Ventures, Ochsner Ventures, 8VC, and the Blue Venture Fund.
"Every state in our nation has committed to prioritizing the health of families with children," says Gee. "Nest Health is the first value-based care company to care for families as a unit, at home."
Nest Health was also named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in Healthcare for 2025, recognized for its groundbreaking work in delivering comprehensive care to high-risk families in their homes.
In one case highlighted by Fast Company, a Nest care team visited a pregnant mother and her seven children in a leaky home with no transportation, behind on power bills, and struggling with mental health issues. Nest provided vaccines, connected the family with local resources, and coordinated ongoing behavioral and nutrition support—a model of integrated care rarely seen in U.S. healthcare.
Looking Ahead: Expanding the Nest
Nest Health is poised for significant growth. The company plans to expand throughout the state of Louisiana and enter new markets beyond Louisiana in 2025.
According to Nest Health executives, Medicaid represents an $800 billion annual spend and covers 83 million people, including 42% of all U.S. births, yet has received only $1.6 billion in venture investment. "This is one of the largest untapped opportunities for meaningful healthcare innovation," says Gee.
Nest Health is changing primary care—bringing it home, addressing the whole family, and focusing on the people for whom early intervention makes the greatest difference.
"It's a profound shift from our current system," says Dr. Gee. "We bring care to the family. We meet them where they are. And when we do that, we can truly move the needle on health outcomes for generations to come."
In a healthcare landscape that often rewards volume over value, Nest Health is proving that a better way is not only possible—it’s already here.
