New modality adds to health insurer's digital offering for members
With traditional in-person appointments no longer the norm to address Canadians’ health care needs, Medavie Blue Cross has unveiled a new counselling modality for its members.
With Text Therapy, Medavie Blue Cross seeks to improve and broaden how and when plan members can receive mental health and wellness services. To offer seamless access and coverage for text therapy, Medavie Blue Cross becomes the first insurer in Canada.
"The way in which individuals are accessing mental health services is evolving to be reflective of the way we communicate and connect in 2022," Shane Reid, Director, Drug, Product & Provider Management at Medavie Blue Cross, said. "Text Therapy enhances access to therapy for individuals who may experience barriers to accessing services, who may not be comfortable with in-person therapy or who find this modality more convenient for their lifestyles."
Over one-third of working Canadians experience some type of mental anguish, according to preliminary results of a five-year study conducted by the Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail (OSMET), sponsored by Medavie Blue Cross.
Text Therapy opens up a new channel for plan members to receive critical services to manage and enhance their general wellness in light of the development of mental health concerns and the digitization of mental health access.
"Text Therapy is a great example of taking a traditional offering, like services from a registered therapist, and evolving it so that members now have another option in when and how they can access these services to better suit their lifestyles. We want to make mental health and wellness services as accessible as possible," Reid said.
All Medavie Blue Cross group and individual members have access to Text Therapy through Connected Care digital health platform, at a discounted charge, and given by a licensed therapist. This service is offered by Focus Mental Wellness, a business that specializes in text message, telephone, and video counseling.
"We are thrilled to partner with Medavie Blue Cross to support innovative ways for its members to access therapy," shared Focus Mental Wellness CEO, Marion Adams. "Medavie aligns perfectly with our goal to make therapy as accessible as possible, and we look forward to helping many more Canadians achieve better mental wellness."
