May is Mental Health Awareness month and effective today, Cigna is making it simpler and more convenient for its customers to access an expanded suite of virtual support services for mental and emotional health.
Cigna is adding Talkspace to its behavioral provider network, allowing its 14 million customers enrolled in employer-sponsored plans the ability to private message with licensed therapists, who are available on-demand. Talkspace connects customers to dedicated licensed therapists who engage daily through a secure app. Customers can also schedule live video sessions based on personal preference. Also, customers who are facing issues related to anxiety, depression, and burnout, and/or who are experiencing substance use or obsessive-compulsive disorders, will also have broader access to virtual treatment services through an expanded network of providers.
As distress among Americans has tripled, Talkspace has seen a 70 percent increase in clients registering with insurance between March and April of this year. Talkspace’s growing relationship with insurers comes at a time when COVID-19 has further heightened the need to access behavioral health care services remotely. Cigna joins many of the nation’s largest health insurers, including Optum, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Humana, that now have in-network agreements with Talkspace.
This relationship brings the total number of insured US lives covered for Talkspace to a milestone of 40 million. In April 2020, Talkspace launched the Digital Employee Assistance Program (Digital EAP), which offers employers a range of digital wellness solutions to support employees amidst a time where the need to access services remotely has increased exponentially. Talkspace has experienced a 90 percent year-over-year increase in client volume since mid-March 2020.
Almost no one is immune to the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether you’re on the frontlines, juggling work from home, or in self-isolation.
Eva Borden, managing director, behavioral strategy and solutions, Cigna
Cigna, which has already expanded access to physicians like its primary care partnership announced earlier this year with MDLive, didn’t disclose financial terms of its collaboration with Talkspace. Cigna also announced the launch of additional virtual care providers in select states to deliver more support for their customers:
- Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout: Through a 12-week app-based program, Cigna customers will receive daily support from licensed clinicians and anonymous peers to treat anxiety, depression, and burnout. The program is conducted through Meru Health and is available to customers in Arizona, California, and Colorado.
- Substance Use Recovery: Cigna customers can access substance use recovery support by connecting with certified peer support specialists virtually through a partnership with MAP Health Management. Program is available to customers in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Customers who are diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will have access to NOCD, a treatment program led by a licensed, OCD-trained therapist with live video appointments and support in-between sessions by messaging the therapist and leveraging the platform’s digital tools. The program is available to customers in California, Michigan, and North Carolina.
All of these virtual services will be available through Cigna’s outpatient behavioral health coverage, subject to benefit plan cost share.
About Talkspace
Talkspace is a digital behavioral technology healthcare company. Its signature psychotherapy product connects individual clients with a network of thousands of licensed therapists through an easy-to-use and HIPAA-compliant web and mobile platform. With Talkspace, clients can send their dedicated therapist’s text, video, and voice messages anytime, from anywhere, and engage in live video sessions. Talkspace also provides psychiatry services, including prescription fulfillment, adolescent therapy, and couples counseling. To date, the service has been used by over 1.5 million people.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation is a global health service company dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and peace of mind of those we serve. Cigna delivers choice, predictability, affordability, and access to quality care through integrated capabilities and connected, personalized solutions that advance whole-person health. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Express Scripts companies, or their affiliates, and Life Insurance Company of North America.
Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products, including group life, accident, and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in over 30 countries and jurisdictions and has more than 180 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
[…] heightened the need to access behavioral health care services remotely. In May 2020 health insurer Cigna added Talkspace to its behavioral provider network, allowing its 14 million customers enrolled in […]