Highmark Expands Access to Spring Health Powered Mental Health Program
Highmark Health and Spring Health have joined forces to enhance access to behavioral health care by expanding the number of access points by 40% for Highmark insurance members, including children and teens. This initiative is facilitated by Highmark’s Mental Well-Being, powered by Spring Health, which will provide a spectrum of support services, from digital wellness capabilities to clinical care, including therapy and medication management, as well as 24/7 crisis support. Highmark is an insurance company providing health insurance to 7 million members in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York.
In many areas across the United States, particularly rural regions, there is a severe shortage of behavioral health providers. Highmark Health serves members across various socio-economic regions, where access to mental health care is limited, often accompanied by long wait times and high costs. The stigma surrounding mental health treatment further deters individuals from seeking help, with an average delay of 7 to 11 years from initial symptoms to seeking treatment.
Mental Well-Being, powered by Spring Health, offers rapid access to therapy and medication management appointments, typically within three days or less. Spring Health’s cutting-edge technology assesses the acuity of more than a dozen conditions, including anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, and more. Each member receives a personalized care plan based on the assessment results and can book appointments in real-time with providers matching their specific needs.
Spring Health has been successful in lowering total health plan spend per participant in the first six months of engagement, especially those with costly chronic conditions. A recent study looked at the impact of implementing Spring Health’s mental health program. The study evaluated 1,132 participants and the patients reported significant improvements in depression and anxiety from before treatment to after treatment. The study also demonstrated employer cost savings, with workplace salary savings at 6 months estimated to be around $3,440 at the federal median wage, with a positive return on investment observed across all wage groups.
Dr. Anil Singh, Senior Vice President and Executive Medical Director of Population and Curated Health at Highmark Health, stated, “Together, Highmark Health and Spring Health are advancing the future state of mental and behavioral health. Expanding access and making it easier for members to engage with a personalized treatment plan helps us intervene earlier, driving a cultural shift in the behavioral health space and cost savings, which Highmark Health reinvests in the consumer experience as part of our Living Health model.”