While behavioral health conditions have become far more prevalent amid the coronavirus, many American are foregoing treatment, according to a new State of the Nation’s Mental Health report from the insurance giant Anthem (NYSE: ANTM).
The senior population specifically saw one of the biggest disconnects, with the number of adults over 75 being treated for mental health diagnoses dropping by 5% in 2020 compared to the year prior. Anthem’s Chief Health Officer Shantanu Agrawal speculated that the social isolation associated with the coronavirus, as well as a lack of telehealth uptake among seniors, could be to blame.
“This is a call out for all of us,” Agrawal said in a press release announcing the news. “We don’t hesitate to help others get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves from the virus, and we shouldn’t hesitate to help people find the mental health services they need as they cope with the pandemic, which is equally important to their overall health. That’s why we are dedicated to increasing our focus on whole health.”
One area where Anthem deploys that whole health focus for seniors is in its Member Connect program, which it offers through its affiliated Medicare Advantage plans. The program helps complement the existing services members have access to through their health plan, addressing social determinants of health such as social isolation and loneliness to improve members’ overall health.
Robin Caruso, chief togetherness officer at Anthem, leads the program.
“We know that if you add one significant relationship to someone and they start caring more about themselves, they become more engaged [in their overall health],” Caruso told Behavioral Health Business. “It’s not just about giving [them] a resource; it’s really about getting them engaged.”
The program works by connecting members to two Anthem associates — a community health worker, or social care partner, and a phone pal.
Social care partners help connect members to community-based services that can address their unmet social and health-related needs, while phone pals are Anthem volunteers who call members on a weekly basis to check in and provide a social connection.
While the program has become especially important amid COVID-19, it predates the pandemic by a couple years. As such, there’s plenty of data to illustrate the program’s success, Caruso said.
For example, 74% of members said they improved their health engagement since joining the program; 78% said participating in Member Connect led to them having more meaningful connections with people; and 66% said they were happy over week prior to being surveyed.
On top of that, Member Connect has helped reduce hospital admissions for members in the program by 8% and cut ER visits by 43%, Caruso said.
Then there are the anecdotal examples. Specifically, Caruso shared the story of a member who previously rarely left the house because she was embarrassed of having to use a walker.
“Fast forward: She’s been in our program now for almost two years,” she said. “She’s now volunteering in the community. I talked to her yesterday, and not only is she teaching two classes on quilting at … Well Connected, our senior center about walls, … she’s also participating in an organization that’s helping children know the importance of art.”
On top of that, the member in question has lost more than 30 pounds.
“It goes back again to … our whole person care,” Caruso said. “Our Member Connect program is just one example. We know … we [have to] take care of all these social drivers of health.”
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