Independence Blue Cross has increased local provider options by 47% since 2022, and now offers additional mental health and substance abuse services.
Independence Blue Cross (IBX) has broadened its behavioral health coverage by offering extended mental health support and substance abuse treatment to improve whole health equity, according to a news release published Tuesday. This expansion announcement follows the recent final ruling for Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), which mandates that mental health and substance abuse disorders should be covered at the same level as physical health benefits.
IBX also encourages all healthcare providers to offer compensated depression screenings for all patients, not just providers in the behavioral health field.
This expansion includes access to 6,700 behavioral health providers offering appointments in person and virtually in the Philadelphia five-county region. More than 500 of these practitioners are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). The top two languages they speak are Spanish and Russian, which are the two most requested languages by IBX customers.
Virtual care expansion includes the addition of “Connect to Care” navigators who help patients with appointment scheduling and intake. Connect to Care navigators direct IBX members to the appropriate service group and type of provider, including:
Care navigation services are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and patients have access to approximately 4,000 open appointments available every month. Most appointments can be made within seven days. Between April 2023 and June 2024, more than 20,000 members accessed care with the help of these navigators.
“Health care is complex and navigating care can be overwhelming,” said Diana Lehman, B.S.N., R.N., vice president of Case and Condition Management at Independence Blue Cross. “This is especially true for people who are dealing with a mental health or substance use disorder condition.”
Fully enrolled IBX members can receive additional help from Quartet Health, a service that can match members with mental health services covered by in their network.
The company also provides access to the Shatterproof Treatment Atlas tool, which allows patients to search and compare addiction treatment facilities. Mental health coaching will be available 24/7 through their Teladoc mobile app.
Medicare’s Drug Price Negotiations Could Impact Physician Reimbursement
September 19th 2024When CMS begins negotiations for physician-administered drugs under the Inflation Reduction Act, providers, including those whose services are covered by commercial insurance, could see lowered reimbursement.
Read More
In this latest episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite podcast, Briana Contreras, an editor with MHE had the pleasure of meeting Loren McCaghy, director of consulting, health and consumer engagement and product insight at Accenture, to discuss the organization's latest report on U.S. consumers switching healthcare providers and insurance payers.
Listen
In our latest "Meet the Board" podcast episode, Managed Healthcare Executive Editors caught up with editorial advisory board member, Eric Hunter, CEO of CareOregon, to discuss a number of topics, one including the merger that never closed with SCAN Health Plan due to local opposition from Oregonians.
Listen
Early Genetic Testing Avoids Treatment Delays for Patients with Friedreich Ataxia
September 18th 2024Genetic and biochemical testing are crucial for improving outcomes for patients with Friedreich ataxia, according to speakers at a symposium at the European Association of Neurology Congress.
Read More