LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine

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LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
INSIDE: SHEDDING LIGHT ON ANNUITIES • UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS • DEI & VOLUNTARY BENEFITS M

VOLUME 39, NUMBER 8          Serving California’s Life/Health Professionals & Financial Planners     MAY 2021

             LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE’RE OBSESSED WITH
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
Brighter
                  PREPARE FOR
                    Days Ahead.
   Did you know 85% or more of seniors are eligible for our competitive CSNP and
  DSNP Plans? Now you can help brighten the lives of those 65+ with low cost/no cost
    benefits that will help you enroll more clients. So get ready for sunnier days with
                                  year-round enrollment.

Offer more with a Medicare Advantage Health Plan from Brand New Day. Contact Broker
       Support to find out how to get certified or for an upcoming training.

           Call 1-866-255-4795 Ext. 2018 or visit bndhmo.com/brokers
 2 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                 CalBrokerMag.com                           MAY 2021
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
CALIFORNIA
                      DIFFERENT

          We do things a little different at CHOICE Administrators. We give
        employees the freedom to select the health and benefit plan that’s right
           for them. And our vast selection of health and ancillary options
             means there’s something for everyone with CaliforniaChoice
                     and ChoiceBuilder - now, that’s pretty cool.

           CHOICE Administrators. A California Different way to do health care.

                                    Quote Different
CaliforniaChoice 800.542.4218 calchoice.com | ChoiceBuilder 866.412.9254 choicebuilder.com
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
Contents           M AY 2 0 2 1

12                                            24
                                              MENTAL HEALTH
                                                                                           28
Deepak Chopra featured at                                                                  MEDICARE INSIDER
NAHU’s Capital Conference                     Is Protecting Mental                         Helping Your Medicare
BY NAAMA O. POZNIAK                           Health Possible During the                   Clients Understand and
                                              COVID-19 Pandemic?                           Utilize their Prescription
This unique appearance and sharing is         BY DR. TYLER AMELL                           Drug Benefits
certain to have a ripple effect, especially                                                BY MARGARET STEDT
with those of us who write the policies,      Researchers are diving into how the
lobby for and deliver the American            pandemic impacted our mental well            The most challenging part of coverage
healthcare system.                            being and they warn that the real            for Medicare beneficiaries is their

                                                                                           32
                                              mental health burden is usually felt after   prescription drug coverage.
                                              disasters.

14                                            26
                                              ANNUITIES
                                                                                           LONG TERM CARE
                                                                                           An insider offers an update
MENTAL HEALTH                                                                              on the California LTC
2021 Mental Health Benefits                   Shedding Some Light on                       Insurance Task Force
Survey                                        Annuities                                    BY LOUIS H. BROWNSTONE
                                              Why are fixed annuity sales surpassing
There’s never been a time where mental        variable annuity sales?                      There’s a new momentum in California
health services were more important.          BY ALVIN PARRA                               to solve the many social and financial
Find out what industry pros have to say                                                    problems of long-term care services and
about these important benefits.               Get some light shed on the different         support.
                                              types of annuities and how you might
                                              use them in your practice.

 4 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                      CalBrokerMag.com                                            MAY 2021
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
Health plan options
that fit your small
business clients.
With Covered California for Small Business, we
help tailor health plan options so employers and
employees can get the coverage they want at a
price that fits their budget. Our flexible coverage
options work with businesses as they grow to offer
coverage that will adapt to their needs as well as
care for and retain quality employees.

CoveredCA.com/ForSmallBusiness | 844.332.8384

Insurance companies vary by region.
        MAY 2021                                CalBrokerMag.com   CALIFORNIA BROKER | 5
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
PUBLISHER
                  Ric Madden
          publisher@calbrokermag.com
             ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
               Naama O. Pozniak
           naama@calbrokermag.com
                      EDITOR
                Victoria Alexander
            editor@calbrokermag.com
                 ART DIRECTOR
                 Randy Dunbar

                                                       34                                          40
            randy@calbrokermag.com
                VP MARKETING
                Devon Hunter
           devon@calbrokermag.com
         ASSISTANT EDITOR/MARKETING
             Linda Hubbard Lalande                     HEALTH EQUITY                               MARKETING
           linda@calbrokermag.com
                                                       A Q&A with Kaiser’s Head                    Digital Marketing Strategies
                ASSOCIATE EDITOR
                 Thora Madden
                                                       of Equity                                   Every Insurance Company
            thora@calbrokermag.com                     Kaiser Permanente has a deeply rooted       Should Implement in 2021
                 CIRCULATION                           commitment to diversity.                    BY KAITLYN WILCOXSON
       calbrokermag@calbrokermag.com
               BUSINESS MANAGER                        Dr. Ronald L. Copeland, MD, F.A.C.S.,       According to marketing experts at
                  Lexena Kool
             lex@calbrokermag.com
                                                       senior vice president of National Equity,   CoSchedule, companies that document
                  LEGAL EDITOR
                                                       Inclusion and Diversity strategy and        their marketing strategy are 313% more
                    Paul Glad                          policy for Kaiser, explains what this       likely to report success. But what should
                                                       means to the organization.                  be included in your marketing strategy?

                                                       36
          EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION:
             McGee Publishers, Inc.                                                                What type of content should you create?
         3727 W. Magnolia Blvd.,#828
              Burbank, CA 91505
                                                                                                   And what platforms are worth the
                                                                                                   investment?

                                                                                                   42
           Phone No.: 818-848-2957
       calbrokermag@calbrokermag.com.
                                                       VOLUNTARY BENEFITS
Subscriptions and advertising rates, U.S. one year:
                                                       Fostering DEI with Voluntary
$42. Send change of address notification at least      Benefits
20 days prior to effective date; include old/new       BY DENNIS HEALY                             Voluntary Benefits
address to: McGee Publishers, 3727 W. Magnolia
Blvd.,#828, Burbank, CA 91505. To subscribe on-
                                                                                                   Time to Be Flexible
line: calbrokermag.com or call (800) 675-7563.         More companies are elevating Diversity      What to expect in VB as a pandemic-
California Broker (ISSN #0883-6159) is published       Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programs to        weary workforce faces new realities
monthly. Periodicals Postage Rates Paid at Bur-        critical business strategies. How do        BY MIKE WILBERT
bank, CA and additional entry offices (USPS #744-
                                                       voluntary benefits fit into this?

                                                       38
450). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
California Broker, 3727 W. Magnolia Blvd.,#828,                                                    Employees have different priorities
Burbank, CA 91505.                                                                                 as a result of the pandemic and their
©2021 by McGee Publishers, Inc. All rights re-                                                     perspective on benefit choices has
served. No part of this publication should be repro-                                               shifted.
duced without consent of the publisher.
                                                       INSURTECH
No responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited
editorial contributions. Manuscripts or other mate-
                                                       Benefits Technology
rial to be returned should be accompanied by a self-   Solutions for Today’s
addressed stamped envelope adequate to return          Workforce
the material. The publishers of this magazine do not   BY SARAH OLIVER
assume responsibility for statements made by their
advertisers or contributors.                                                                          IN EVERY ISSUE
Printed and mailed by Southwest Offset Printing,       One year later and there is no question
Gardena, CA.                                           that the pandemic has not only changed         Industry News                   8
                                                       how we work remotely, but how we can           Classified Advertising         46
                                                       do so seamlessly and smarter as a result       Ad Index                       46
                                                       of the technology that’s available to us.

6 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                               CalBrokerMag.com                                             MAY 2021
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
LIFE SETTLEMENTS
   OFFER ONE SIMPLE
   IDEA. CHOICE.

The secondary market for life insurance gives policyowners powerful options for managing their life insurance policies.

Through transactions like a life settlement or a                                                       , you and your

clients now have the tools to tap into the market value of policies that are underperforming or are simply no longer

needed. The result is new estate planning strategies that maximize value.

coventry.com                     800.877.4179
©2021 Coventry First. All rights reserved.                                                                    CALBR052021
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
INDUSTRY/NEWS
         Insight on Life Settlements Market
Cal Broker contributor Lisa Rehburg of Rehburg Life Insurance Settlements recently
attended the Institutional Investor Conference organized by the Life Insurance Settle-         The United States
ments Association (LISA). Rehburg says the bottomline for life settlements is that
                                                                                           reported a record-high 4.6
the market is great for investors, which means it is great for clients. A few of her key
takeaways from the conference:                                                             million doses of COVID
                                                                                           vaccines administered in
Investor Perspective:
                                                                                           one day, according to data
   • The market is good with projected growth in the next 3 - 7 years, and the
                                                                                           published by the Centers
     future is bright.
                                                                                           for Disease Control and
   • Coming out of the COVID-19 crisis, capital influx into the market will
                                                                                           Prevention. However,
     increase.
                                                                                           vaccination hesitancy
   • According to new research commissioned by Managing Partners Group
                                                                                           haunts us: more than
     (MPG), more than half (51%) of institutional investors globally plan to
                                                                                           75% of the US population
     reduce their exposure to bonds this year. The research shows that, of
                                                                                           isn't fully vaccinated,
     those planning to switch, 52% plan to redirect their investments into life
                                                                                           according to CDC data.
     settlements.
                                                                                           Because of this, new cases
Client Perspective:
                                                                                           and hospitalizations are
   • Clients put the sale of their life insurance policies on hold during the
                                                                                           increasing, according to
     COVID-19 virus spikes, creating pent up transaction volume. That changed
                                                                                           CDC Director Dr. Rochelle
     during the 2nd half of 2020 and continues to increase in 2021.
                                                                                           Walenky. Young people
   • The face value of policies sold was down in 2020 v. 2019, meaning
                                                                                           and those not vaccinated
     investors are buying lower face value policies.
                                                                                           account for most of these
   • Increased consumer demand for new life insurance policies - up over 7%
                                                                                           new COVID cases.
     in 2020 v. 2019 - results in an increased future life settlement pool.

                         MediKeeper Launches COVID Navigator

                         H
                                 ere's an interesting twist as we               tracking, documentation and reporting of
                                 contemplate our brave, new post-               cleared and not cleared employees," says
                                 COVID-19 world. MediKeeper                     David Ashworth, CEO of MediKeeper.
                          announced a major upgrade to its COVID                "It's a quick and easy way for employees
                          Navigator mobile app. The app now                     to submit their vaccination status and for
                           enables employers to digitally identify and          HR administrators to be notified when an
                           track which employees are vaccinated.                employee has been cleared or enters vaccine
                            Once info is input, a report is sent to             information." The COVID Navigator is
                            the employer to show an individual's                integrated with a case management solution.
                             vaccination status. "MediKeeper's                  The app is both HIPAA compliant and
                             COVID Navigator reduces the                        HiTrust certified in order to protect privacy
                              administrative burden of reporting and            and security. COVID Navigator is available
                              follow-up and makes it easier for HR              for companies to access from the Apple
                               to manage the vaccination, screening,            Store or Google Play.

 8 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                     CalBrokerMag.com                                        MAY 2021
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
High Limit Disability
Individuals annually earning in excess of $500,000 need
disability benefits that can keep pace with their affluent
lifestyle - they need High Limit Disability. The benefits of a
recently-insured surgeon, making $1,100,000 consisted of:

    ⌂ $10,000/month Group LTD

    ⌂ $15,000/month Individual DI

    ⌂ $32,000/month High Limit DI

Call (800) 345-8816                                              Occupation: Surgeon
or                                                               Age: 51

visit www.piu.org for more information.                          Income: $1,100,000
                                                                 Total Benefit: $57,000/month
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE OBSESSED WITH - California Broker Magazine
INDUSTRY/NEWS
 Take Our Survey & You Might Win $                                                        Vālenz Announces
                                                                                          Acquisition of
                                                    you haven't
                                                    had a chance to
                                                                                          Kozani Health
                                                    answer the super
                                                                                         Vālenz announced it has
                                                    quick Cal Broker                     acquired Kozani Health, a
                                           survey, there's still time!                   company that provides a
                                           You can find the survey                       comprehensive bill review
                                           at https://tinyurl.com/                       solution primarily for self-
                                           CalBrokerSurvey. And                          funded employers and the self-
                                           guess what? Answer the                        insured community. Kozani
                                                                                         Health joins the ever-expanding
                                           survey and you can enter
                                                                                         Vālenz ecosystem of data and
                                           to win a $500 Visa gift
                                                                                         solutions as Valenz ProteKHt.
                                           card. The gift card drawing                   The new solution offers detailed
                                           will coincide with Cal                        line-by-line bill reviews
                                           Broker's 40th anniversary                     performed by nurses, certified
                                           issue later this year.                        coders and practicing specialists
                                                                                         to uncover inappropriate billing.

                                                             NAHU Power Hour
             4th Wednesday of the month from 4-5p.m. Pacific. Members and nonmembers welcome. Register at NAHU.org.

                                                          LAAHU DEI Book Club,
                                          discussing Miles McPherson’s book, The Third Option,
                                             goes through September, Register at LAAHU.org.

                                                CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit
                                              POSTPONED Email questions to info@cahu.org.

                               San Diego Association of Health Underwriters Sales Expo
                                                    Virtual, May 6. More at SDAHU.org.

                       Los Angeles Association of Health Underwriters Annual Symposium,
                                                  Virtual, May 13-14. More at LAAHU.org.

                                       IICF International Inclusion in Insurance Forum
          June 15-17, This action-oriented program will have a focus on an inclusive future for the industry. Register at IICF.org.

                                                        BenefitsPro Broker Expo
             virtual one day May 18 AND in person in San Diego, August 16-18. Save 15% off with promo code RIGHTPLAN.
                                                       Info at BenefitsPro.com.

                               American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance
           National Medicare Supplement Insurance Industry Summit, Sept 8-10, Schaumburg Convention Center, Chicago area,
                                                     info at medicaresupp.org.

10 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                   CalBrokerMag.com                                                MAY 2021
GOOD READ: The Full Body Yes by Scott Shute

  W            e recently received "The
               Full Body Yes: Change
               Your Work and Your
  World from the Inside Out" by
  LinkedIn's Scott Shute. Shute is a
                                                                      a source of happiness and meaning.
                                                                      Sounds good, right? The book offers
                                                                      a four-step plan to make that happen,
                                                                      yet it’s couched in a memoir-like read.
                                                                      If you know any highschool or college
  kid from a wheat farm in Kansas                                     grads, this is an ideal book to give as a
  who eventually snagged a job as                                     gift. But it’s also really great read for
  head of mindfulness and compassion                                  those who want to know more about
  at LinkedIn. In itself that seems an                                how meditation and mindfulness work
  epic feat. Which segues nicely to the                               for business and tech-oriented people.
  premise of the book. The concept                                          Have anything good you’re
  of the book is that work shouldn't                                  reading? Drop us a line and tell us
  be a burden that takes place outside of your              what you’re reading and what you love about it!
  "real life." Furthermore, Shute says work can be          Editor@calbrokermag.com

                                       WLS Offering Refund Options
                                       CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit (WLS) was
Cigna + Oscar
                                       postponed to an undetermined date in 2022. If you
Expands Small                          registered and need to request a refund or discuss
Businesses’ Access                     other options, please contact Natalie Sinclair at
                                       natalie@caladmanagement.com.
to Affordable Health
Plans in California
There's a new collaboration
between Cigna and Oscar
for small business health
insurance in the Bay Area,                           SM

Central Coast, Greater
Sacramento, Inland Empire,                 Voluntary Product Listing
Los Angeles, Orange County,                • Accident             • Disability         • Legal
                                           • AD&D                 • TruHearing         • Whole Life Insurance
North Bay and San Diego
                                           • Critical Illness     • Identity Theft     • 10, 15 and 20 Year
regions. The companies will                                                              Renewable Term Life
share risk equally under a
reinsurance agreement for
solutions offered through this
strategic partnership and plan             Amalgamated Life Insurance Company
                                           333 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604
to expand the partnership                  Brian Italia CA License # 0D87644 646.599.7338
over time.                                 bitalia@amalgamatedbenefits.com
                                           www.amalgamatedbenefits.com

       MAY 2021                                  CalBrokerMag.com                                  CALIFORNIA BROKER | 11
Agent's Voice

                Deepak Chopra Shares
                 Wisdom at CapCon
                                                BY NAAMA O. POZNIAK

                            “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
                                                        — Deepak Chopra

F
       or over ten years, I                                                                           When peace is found, so is
       had the pleasure of                                                                            meaning and purpose.
       attending the Capital                                                                              “Directly or indirectly,
Conference (CapCon) in                                                                                stress is the number one
Washington, D.C. Last year,                                                                           killer in our society. By
the last flight I took before                                                                         itself, stress produces
the pandemic began was to                                                                             loss of immune function.
CapCon. This is the National                                                                          Stress is the number one
Association of Health                                                                                 pandemic of our civilization.
Underwriter's (NAHU) annual                                                                           COVID-19 doesn’t even
conference and one of the                                                                             come close. Many people
largest and most influential                                                                          have chronic illnesses,
healthcare industry events.                                                                           anxiety, depression and
Beyond hosting it virtually                                                                           inflammation. Ninety-
for the first time, this year                                                                         five percent of all chronic
we were honored to have                                                                               diseases are related
Dr. Deepak Chopra as the                                                                              to lifestyle. We can
keynote speaker.                                                                                      foresee these illnesses,
    The manifestation of this                                                                         and therefore they are
collaboration with Chopra                                                                             preventable.”
and his team was weaving                                                                                  Chopra sees the future of
for more than 10 years. His                                                                           wellbeing as “personalized
vision, knowledge, energy,                                                                            and predictive — we can
and expertise are critical                                                                            predict what’s going to
in our industry. This unique                                                                          happen.” But it is a process,
appearance and sharing                                                                               not an overnight cure.
is certain to have a ripple effect, especially with those of us         Most people don’t give much importance to sleep, but
who write the policies, lobby for and deliver the American          lack of sleep is considered to be one of the most significant
healthcare system.                                                  contributors to premature death because of the inflammatory
    Here is a recap of Dr. Chopra’s CapCon presentation:            consequences. Sleep is the window to our soul and spiritual
Excitement crackled across cyberspace as the session was            experiences. Humans need seven to eight hours of sleep
broadcast through Zoom to many corners of the country.              to minimize risk of Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation,
Chopra invited the audience to “connect from the heart”             cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression. When you
when he spoke of the challenges brought forth by the                wake up after a good night’s sleep, you should feel refreshed,
coronavirus pandemic. “We all, including me, observed               joyful and energetic. Toxins have been released, and the
first-hand the pain, anger, grief, and fear experienced by          body has had a chance to self-regulate. You have returned to
the populace. So much taken for granted — friends, family,          homeostasis.
employment, good health — lost instantly. People felt                   Meditation is the best way to manage stress through self-
helpless in the throes of the disease and, tragically, many         inquiry, reflection and mindfulness. Incorporating art into our
people died and continue to die still.                              lives in the form of music and poetry is very healing. Never
    “But notwithstanding variants, it is the usual course of        underestimate the power of laughter. Laughter brings joy, and
viruses to become less contagious and virulent eventually.          joy illuminates our lives.
It may take time, but this too shall pass, and 2021 will be             The body must move, and movement links to good health.
the year of recovery. We must ask ourselves what we have            Any form of exercise that coordinates the mind and body
learned and gained from this experience. It is essential            is beneficial and healing. Recommended practices include
to let go of the past to change our future and find peace.          strength-building yoga combined with breathing techniques

  12 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                   CalBrokerMag.com                                            MAY 2021
or other mind-body integrative                adequate healthcare or nutrition.           shines a light on the purity of your
techniques, such as Tai Chi, Chi Gong or      Financial distress, whether you are rich    true nature and, in turn, affects your
martial arts. Data shows that exercise        or poor, can cause significant stress       emotions, behavior and life.
incorporating mind-body coordination,         and biological havoc. The extremely             In the next few years, we will
deep breathing, meditation, singing           poor and the extremely rich worry about     see technical expertise extended to
and chanting stimulates the vagus             money all the time and often confuse        handheld devices, like Fitbit, with whom
nerve, calms the body, and decreases          their self-worth with their net worth.      Chopra is working, allowing a person to
inflammation, allowing the body to self-      Net worth is not self-worth. Financial      reap the benefits of meditation. Such
heal.                                         security doesn’t come from the amount       technology aims to enable the user to
    How we fuel our bodies makes a            of money you have, but how you feel         experience a joyful, energetic body, a
clear difference. Avoiding processed          about money. What is your relationship      compassionate heart and lightness of
chemicals, hormones and steroids              with money? How do you use it? Do           being — and to inspire us all to walk the
in our food is a key to wellness.             you have enough money to retire? If         pathway to total health.
Cardiovascular disease and so many            you get sick, do you have insurance?            We can minimize disease and illness
others can be avoided by following            Do you spend money on experiences,          as we get older, but we do age. Nothing
a plant-based diet with maximum               or do you spend it on possessions? Do       is going to prevent old age or death.
diversity. Damage can be reversed             you have default systems? Do you pay        Everybody gets old if they are healthy.
quickly by a change of diet and               your taxes? Do you know how to give?        However, we can mitigate the suffering
nutritional intake.                           All of these factors make up a person’s     that comes from old age and the fear
    Our bodies have a biological rhythm.      financial well-being.                       of death. With a sense of spiritual
We are affected by circadian rhythms               Spiritual wellbeing is being in        connection, we can learn not to fear
— the internal processes that control         touch with the true self. When we get       death but embrace it as a natural part
our sleep cycles and seasonal rhythms,        in touch with our true self through         of life.
lunar rhythms and gravitational               meditation, we access a field of infinite       Every spiritual tradition teaches
rhythms. Our bodies are part of the           possibilities, incorporating values like    that the soul is timeless, immortal
symphony of the whole universe. When          truth, goodness, beauty, harmony,           and boundless, and infinite. If we
your feet touch grass, dirt, or sand, or      love, compassion and joy. Once you          can assume that, we embrace self-
when you touch a tree, you get what           are in touch with your spiritual core,      realization, and fear evaporates.
is called “grounded.” You can return          it influences everything else in your
to self-regulation, self-healing, and         life positively. Spiritual enlightenment
equilibrium.
    Career wellbeing is fundamental as
our work gives us purpose in life. Ask

                                                    DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
yourself: are you happy at your job?
Are your talents being recognized? Are
you part of a team that complements

                                                    + THE HUMAN FACTOR
each other’s strengths? Ideally, a work
environment incorporates a shared
vision where there is an emotional
and spiritual bonding and where each
person brings an added benefit to the
team, as in sports. It’s essential to find
a career that fulfills your spirit. It is a
critical factor in long-term happiness.
    Social wellbeing means having
people in your life who care about you.
It would help if you strived to surround
yourself with friends and family who
support you and that you support in
return. You are available to them and
them to you through attention, affection
and acceptance. Community wellbeing
refers to your home. Ideally, this should
be a space of comfort and safety.
During the quarantine, people found                BenefitMall leverages innovative technology backed by our
themselves at home more than ever
before. Therefore, it became critical to             human expertise to provide the best in broker services.
live in a comfortable home “in which
solace could be found, day after day.”
    Financial wellbeing refers to feeling
safe about your money. The pandemic
has thrown many people into financial
distress. Suddenly, many cannot afford                         800.350.0500 BenefitMall.com

          MAY 2021                                         CalBrokerMag.com                           CALIFORNIA BROKER | 13
Mental Health

       M e ntal H ealth Be n e fits

                             California Broker reached out to several industry experts to
                           weigh in on mental health benefits. There’s never been a time
                            where mental health services were more important. Find out
                                                   what these industry pros had to say...

                                               COMPILED BY THORA MADDEN
                                        By Paula Allen
  14 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                      CalBrokerMag.com                              MAY 2021
DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY’S ROLE                               Jennifer                          As part of our commitment to
OR PRODUCTS IN THE BEHAVIORAL                              Christian-                    transforming health care, we offer a
HEALTH SPACE.                                              Herman,                       comprehensive program of industry-
                                                           Ph.D.,                        leading behavioral health services.
                     Stephanie                             executive                     Blue Shield health plans provide a
                     Shields, SVP                          director,                     sophisticated approach to managing
                     of Broker                             Mind Body                     both inpatient and outpatient
                     Sales at Aflac:                       Medicine –                    behavioral health services, employing
                           Mental and       Behavioral Health, Blue Shield               specially trained behavioral health
                        emotional health    of California:                               clinicians to assess members’
                        has long been an        We are living in unprecedented           situations and direct them to the most
                        important topic,    times, the likes of which our society        appropriate care setting. We ensure
                        but employers       has not experienced in more than             a seamless coordination process for
                       got a closer look    100 years. For more than a year now,         the care of members with significant
at how employees are doing and the          COVID-19 has caused worldwide                behavioral health needs through
challenges they face in light of the        disruptions in our work lives, family        co-located care managers and a
pandemic. As a result, they want to         relations, job security and economic         collaborative approach that promotes
enhance their benefits offerings to         activity. In                                                       integrated care
support wellness in this area. In fact,     addition, social                                                   coordination. This
the 2020-2021 Aflac WorkForces
Report showed that 26% of employers
                                            distancing has
                                            led to feelings of
                                                                               We have enhanced simplifies                the
                                                                                                               member experience
said employee mental health issues          separation, loss of             our products to make and enables
had an effect on their company in the
past year, and 26% of employees said
                                            community, stress                      sure we not only personalized,
                                                                                                               relevant and
                                            and anxiety.
they expect their employer to offer             Now, more than              react to an event like responsive care,
mental health assistance benefits to        ever, Blue Shield                     hospitalization or while still leveraging
make them feel more comfortable going       recognizes the                                                     cutting-edge
to a physical worksite.                     need to address                disability by providing technology to
    Aflac examined the journey an           the behavioral                        cash to help with expand access to
employee experiences when seeking           health needs of                                                    these services. We
treatment for mental health symptoms.       our members,                           expenses health provide additional
As a result, we have enhanced our           including the                        insurance doesn’t flexibility through a
products to make sure we not only           biological,                                                        variety of member
react to an event like hospitalization      psychological                 cover,  but  also   to  focus        access points (e.g.,
or disability by providing cash to          and social factors                        on well-being. telebehavioral
help with expenses health insurance         that impact their                                                  health and tech-
doesn’t cover, but also to focus on                                           — Stephanie Shields, Aflac       enabled hybrid
                                            behavioral health.
well-being. Our group short-term            Our whole-person                                                   applications).
disability product provides mental          approach to health                                                     In addition
illness coverage, and as a means            and well-being, collaborative-care           to our legacy partnership with our
to help support early diagnosis and         philosophy, and relentless innovation        behavioral health partner, Magellan
treatment. Aflac considers a mental         are what set us apart. These are the         Health® (Magellan), we have expanded
health screening a covered condition        drivers that enable us to deliver a high-    our network with innovative provider
for group supplemental wellness or          quality, personalized experience to our      partners and solutions.
health screening benefits. In addition,     members.                                         Telebehavioral health services.
we provide employers with access                Together with our behavioral health      BlueShield   offers 24/7/365
to value-added services such as an          partners, Blue Shield is scaling an          telemedicine and telebehavioral
employee assistance program and             integrated medical and behavioral            health services to members through
telehealth, including meeting with a        health program that seeks to ensure          Teladoc. This includes a national
counselor or psychiatrist virtually. This   coordination between primary care            network of physicians and experienced
can help provide support for treatment      physicians, specialty medical practice       psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists
and round out their strategy to support     clinicians, and behavioral health            and social workers to address a
mental health, stress management and        professionals with the goal of providing     broad range of common illnesses and
overall wellness.                           a more holistic care experience. We          provide relief for issues like addiction,
                                            aspire to ensure members have timely         depression, stress or anxiety, domestic
                                            access to behavioral health care and         abuse, grief counseling and more.
                                            that their cultural, ethnic, gender and          Telebehavioral health sessions
                                            language preferences are taken into          conducted during the COVID-19 period
                                            consideration when finding the right         are covered in the same way in-person
                                            provider.                                    visits are covered. All credentialed

         MAY 2021                                         CalBrokerMag.com                             CALIFORNIA BROKER | 15
and contracted behavioral healthcare         video conferencing via phone, tablet, or     members who may be at risk for opioid
providers are now permitted to               computer. Bright Heart works with over       overuse or substance abuse. Various
conduct telehealth video sessions            150 hospitals, specializing in opioid        outreach strategies are leveraged
for all routine services and certain         disorders, substance abuse treatment,        to prevent unnecessary surgery,
advanced behavioral analysis, intensive      chronic pain/opioid dependency and           inappropriate medication use, and
outpatient treatment programs,               eating disorders. Bright Heart Health is     expensive emergency-room visits.
and partial hospitalization program          equipped to complete intakes within 24       Strategies include telephonic coaching
services. If a member is unable to           hours of receiving a patient self-referral   by medical and behavioral health
participate in a face-to-face telehealth     or provider referral, offering members       clinicians, medication reconciliation by
video session, outpatient providers may      on-demand care and minimal wait              a licensed pharmacist, 24/7 access
also conduct sessions via telephone.         times.                                       to tailored, evidence-based digital
So, if members need care, they can                                                        programming, and self-guided modules.
call their provider to see how to receive        Value-added services: Blue
services via their phone or video            Shield’s value-added services provide           Complex case management
conference.                                  our clients with game-changing               services: Magellan’s complex case
                                             opportunities that offer a broader           management services expedite and
    Wellvolution: Blue Shield’s award-       clinical value story through seamless        support access to treatment facilities
winning lifestyle medicine program,          integration and improved competitive         and care for more acute behavioral
Wellvolution®,                                                    positioning through     health conditions. We partner with
combines best-                                                    innovation and          Magellan to offer an integrated medical
in-class digital                                                  improved costs.         and behavioral health model that helps
therapeutics,                                                     Our newest cutting-     ensure coordination between primary
evidence-based            Blue Shield has extensive edge solutions                        care physicians (PCPs), specialty
therapies, and                experience supporting focus on technology,                  medical practice clinicians, and
member-centric                                                    medical/behavioral      behavioral health professionals, with
design to ensure                 transgender benefits integration, early                  the goal of providing a more holistic
members have                    and providing patient intervention. We                    care experience.
access to                                                         work to break
personalized,                   advocacy services for down the stigma of                      Autism and applied behavior
flexible tools that        members diagnosed with mental health needs                     analysis services: The Magellan
work within their                                                 while promoting         Autism Connections® program
existing routines         gender dysphoria through awareness, through                     helps families navigate the complex
and address their                  our integrated care these behavioral                   healthcare system, obtain access
unique problems.
    To help
                                  management model. health               programs and
                                                                  services:
                                                                                          to quality providers, and receive
                                                                                          support within their communities. The
members with                                                                              program combines the expertise of
social distancing               — Jennifer Christian-Herman,          Behavioral          fully credentialed providers who meet
                                            Blue Shield of CA
during the                                                        health condition        applied behavior analysis requirements
current COVID-19                                                  management              with targeted efforts to engage and
outbreak,                                                         services: Our           serve children diagnosed with autism
we adapted                                                        integrated care         and their caregivers to ensure everyone
our Wellvolution diet and lifestyle          management model leverages                   impacted receives the care, guidance,
programs to support members during           a behavioral health condition                and support they need.
this uncertain time. These 100%              management component designed to
virtual programs are customized to           help members overcome depression                Maternal mental health
meet current challenges, supporting          so they can effectively manage their         services: Members experiencing
members to take better care of their         chronic conditions. Behavioral health        maternal behavioral health conditions
physical and emotional health while          coaches, who are master’s-level              such as depression (including
they remain at home. We also expanded clinicians, engage members using                    postpartum) and anxiety either before,
the platform to include on-demand            motivational coaching techniques and         during, or after pregnancy receive
exercise videos and a recipe library of      cognitive skill-building exercises, and      an additional layer of support via
healthy recipes for all dietary needs        they support members in developing           our Prenatal Program. Members are
to increase well-being support for our       their own self-management plans.             provided access to behavioral health
members during the pandemic.                                                              specialists who can offer help and
    Bright Heart Health. We are also             Pain management services: We             guidance with stress management,
employing technology to address              also offer, as part of our integrated care   coping mechanisms, managing
behavioral health concerns through           management model, a comprehensive            depression or anxiety, and more.
our partnership with Bright Heart            and collaborative approach to
Health. They provide expert care and         pain management, including pain                 LifeReferrals 24/7: Members can
support to adults through two-way            interventions that provide support for       get in-person and telephonic support

 16 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                    CalBrokerMag.com                                            MAY 2021
for all areas of their lives — from       to ensure services are done in                                      and coverage
relationships and child and elder care,   accordance with a client’s human                                    together—is
to financial and legal issues — with      resources and legal policies.                                       uniquely built
LifeReferrals 24/7™. This employee-                                                                           to meet our
assistance-program-like offering                                 Unum                                         members’ needs
includes three face-to-face counseling                           Spokesperson                                 during this difficult
sessions with licensed therapists in                             Pam Jenkins,                                 moment in time.
each six-month period at no extra                                Assistant Vice                               We draw from
charge.                                                          President,                                   a full spectrum
                                                                 Product                                      of proven care.
    Transgender patient advocacy                                 & Market             From primary care to specialty mental
services: Blue Shield has extensive                              Development,         health care to emergency care and
experience supporting transgender                                Colonial Life:       everything in between, our providers
benefits and providing patient advocacy                            Various            coordinate and manage care delivery
services for members diagnosed            programs proved their value last year       across an expansive mental health care
with gender dysphoria through our         during the pandemic. Colonial Life          ecosystem. That gives our members
integrated care management model.         provides an Employee Assistance             many options—including options for
We offer personalized advocacy and        Program (EAP) within our Group              getting care remotely—and they can
health education services by dedicated    Term Life product. Workers have free        work with their provider to select the
nurse case managers to address the        access to confidential counseling           care that’s right for them.
complex medical and psychosocial          and resources such as securing                  At the center of all of this is our
implications of gender transition, and    local childcare options and finding         electronic health record system, which
our comprehensive medical policy          alternative elder care solutions. In most   allows members to manage their
follows internationally recognized        states, employers may choose to offer       care online and gives us the ability
standards of care from the World          our disability plans with psychiatric or    to coordinate their care. Our doctors
Professional Association of Transgender   psychological condition benefits.           know what they need to do, and the
Health.                                                                               ecosystem enables us to provide care
                                                                                      based on what works and helps us
    Community health advocates:                                  Brian T.             make sure the patient experience is
As part of our Health Reimagined                                 Sullivan, RHU,       as seamless as possible. The ability to
program, we are piloting the use                                 REBC, FLMI,          maintain clear communication across
of community health advocates in                                 MHP, CHRS,           our care teams is particularly critical
select regions to work directly with,                            Market Vice          during a crisis, which can affect how
or on behalf of, patients to navigate                            President,           and where care is delivered.
the health system and connect                                    Humana:                  We also always try to spot concerns
them with community resources that                                   Humana’s         early, which is why providers across our
address their behavioral health and                              wellness             network have the knowledge, training,
social needs while aiming to reduce                              programs,            and resources to address mental
health inequities. Community health       Humana Employee Assistance Program          health concerns. Patients and their
advocates act as navigators and           (EAP) and Go365, offer a variety of         providers develop care plans tailored
liaisons with local stakeholders and      resources to provide mental health          to their challenges and goals, including
provide the empathetic support and        support. With Humana EAP, employers         frequency and duration of visits.
real-time problem solving necessary       have the option to offer the traditional    Adjustments are made as needed.
to enable whole-person health and         EAP offerings, including professionals      Ongoing feedback from members helps
wellness.                                 who can connect employees to a              us understand what tools, therapies,
                                          network of licensed counselors. But it      and self-care techniques are helping,
    Workplace support services:           also offers other components, such as       identify additional things to work on,
Managers and supervisors receive          life coaching, a legal/financial benefit,   and decide on a path forward after
telephonic support to assist with         and a website. Go365 offers digital         achieving treatment goals.
employee issues, such as substance        mental health resources, Unwinding              The result is a fluid care experience
abuse or personal and family              Anxiety and MyLife, as well as a            that evolves with our members’ needs.
problems, that could be impacting         SelfHelpWork’s stress course called
job performance. Workplace Support        Living Easy: Stress & Resiliency.
consultants are master’s level,                                                                               Mary
trained clinicians who assist with        Yener Balan, M.D., DFAPA, Kaiser                                    Langowski,
the development of corrective action      Permanente:                                                         CEO, Solera
plans and a proper return to work,            Along with our expansive mental                                 Health:
as appropriate, for the employee.         health offerings, collaborative                                        We have
Workplace Support consultants             approach, and responsive care, our                                  several
partner with managers and supervisors     integrated system—which offers care                                 programs that

         MAY 2021                                       CalBrokerMag.com                            CALIFORNIA BROKER | 17
serve behavioral health through our           pandemic. We continually work on ways          specialty requests to meet appointment
all-encompassing Solera Connect               we can better respond to customer              standards due to increased telehealth
platform. This matches consumers to           needs by being easier to use, to obtain        utilization.
their best-fit, health community-based        and to be more accessible to a greater             This decrease was partially offset
and digital solutions while creating a        number of consumers.                           by the need to accommodate social-
single touchpoint                                                       Aflac has digital    distancing restrictions and heightened
for condition                                                        tools in place to       safety measures for members and
management                         All credentialed and provide solutions                    employees, increasing wait times for
and streamlined
engagement.
                                 contracted behavioral for              businesses
                                                                     that have had to
                                                                                             some patients and facilities. Some
                                                                                             specialized in-person services have
Moreover, people              healthcare providers are shift to operating                    also been limited due to the pandemic,
are matched to their
level of acuity by
                            now permitted to conduct remotely.                  We partner
                                                                     with many third-
                                                                                             resulting in the need to utilize out-of-
                                                                                             network services.
condition with the           telehealth video sessions party platforms
ability to move up              for all routine services that offer benefits                 PANDEMIC ADAPTATIONS
or down as needed                                                    administration               The following list outlines various
based upon ongoing               and certain advanced solutions to                           program adaptations Blue Shield
data monitoring of                  behavioral analysis, employers and a                     and Magellan have implemented or
how consumers are                                                    seamless digital        supported providers in implementing
progressing. This                   intensive outpatient experience for                      over the course of the pandemic:
ensures that people          treatment programs, and their employees. In                          We adopted the best practice to
are getting the right                                                addition, we have       allow providers the freedom to select
level of support that            partial hospitalization updated customer-                   the Health Insurance Portability and
they need. With                       program services. facing technology                    Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant
the platform and a                                                   capabilities,           telehealth platform of their choice for
single agreement,                 — Jennifer Christian-Herman, changing the way we           delivering care.
we simplify the                               Blue Shield of CA engage and service                We expanded support for providers,
difficult tasks in                                                   our customers and       making it easy for them to onboard for
getting programs                                                     support brokers.        telehealth. Through Blue Shield and
launched, including claims processing,                                                       MagellanProvider.com, we offer a free
consumer engagement, eligibility              Jennifer Christian-Herman, Ph.D.,              webinar, “Telehealth 101: What You
screening and vendor management,              Blue Shield of CA:                             Need to Know and How to Get Started”;
thereby speeding up rollout of solutions          A silver lining to the COVID-19            lists of telehealth payable services and
and saving costs. Specifically, we            pandemic crisis has been the capacity          billing instructions; “10 Steps to Getting
offer both a Diabetes Prevention and          to rapidly expand telebehavioral health        Started as a Telehealth Provider”; and
Weight Management Program and have services. Blue Shield, in partnership                     answers to frequently asked questions
recently launched a bundled suite of          with Magellan and Teladoc Health,              about telehealth.
programs called Solera True Strength          Inc. has dramatically expanded                      Some partial hospital programs
which combines Stress, Sleep &                these services, and as a result,               (PHP) moved to a telehealth format,
Resilience with Tobacco Cessation and         provider/member utilization has risen          offering group and individual therapy,
Social Isolation.                             significantly.                                 psycho-pharmacological management,
                                                  During the COVID-19 public health          and assessment via two-way video.
HOW HAS COVID CHANGED                         emergency, telehealth services have            Patients have participated in these
WHAT YOU DO? FOR EXAMPLE,                     expanded to ensure patients continue           programs from home or other suitable
ARE PEOPLE ACCESSING YOUR                     receiving care in a timely fashion in a        locations outside the traditional
SERVICE IN A DIFFERENT WAY?                   safe manner that mitigates risks to both       structured PHP setting.
HAVE YOU SEEN AN UPTICK IN                    members and providers. We have made                 For intensive outpatient program
USE?                                          several adaptations to our telehealth          (IOP) services, we have seen two
                                              approach to support this expansion,            models emerge that incorporate
Stephanie Shields, AFLAC:                     including temporary changes to our             telehealth modalities:
    Many changes have taken place             levels of care.                                     (1) video visits or telehealth-based
in the insurance industry because of                                                         IOP, during which the member attends
COVID-19, especially the acceleration         PANDEMIC OBSERVATIONS                          only from an offsite/home setting via a
of digital initiatives for American               Members have exhibited a greater           telehealth connection
businesses. Aflac is constantly evolving      willingness to access treatment through             (2) a hybrid model that combines in-
to enhance the customer experience,           telehealth modalities. For the periods of      person and video visit–based care and
from benefits enrollment and education April to September, 2020, Blue Shield                 requires evaluation of the treatment
to policy management and filing a             and Magellan experienced a reduced             plan and therapeutic program
claim. Our efforts to expand and reach        need to look outside the network to            components to ensure clinical validity.
more people were in place before the          accommodate geographic needs and

 18 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                      CalBrokerMag.com                                              MAY 2021
Prior to COVID-19, Applied Behavior       circumstances. For some levels of care,        like Classpass or Echelon. They also
Analysis (ABA) historically allowed very      we do not believe telehealth to be a           have the ability to submit a selfie to
limited telehealth opportunities. As of       best practice and will likely revert to        our Go365 app as proof for working
March 2020, in response to requests           pre-pandemic policies. In other cases,         out. We also expanded our eligible
by state regulatory bodies, Blue Shield       through adapting our policies, we have         activities for earning points to make
and Magellan began allowing telehealth determined that defining a new level of               it easier for members to be rewarded
accessibility for all ABA codes. This was care to account for telehealth access              for being healthy. In addition, we
warmly received by the ABA provider           may be appropriate.                            offered webinars, new content and
community, as it enabled them to see                                                         communications to help members with
their members and remain compliant            Pam Jenkins, Colonial Life:                    stress, exercise and prevention. With
with shelter-in-place directives. Early            The pandemic increased the risk of        EAP, we added text-based and video
feedback from providers has indicated         mental and behavioral health issues            counseling options to our network, to
patient satisfaction scores have              and made people more financially               make it easier to get help virtually, as
remained the same                                                     fragile. In this       well as adding new website content and
for both types of                                                     environment,           promotional flyers addressing mental
visits.                                                               benefits to help       health issues related to the pandemic.
    Blue Shield                      People who already protect people
and Magellan                  struggled with addiction from the financial                    Dr. Balan, Kaiser Permanente:
have continued                                                        costs of illness,          The toll the pandemic is taking on
to receive and              are suffering in isolation, injury or loss                       us all is undeniable, and there’s no
review requests for           creating dangerous and of life are more                        question that COVID-19 will continue
psychological and
neuropsychological
                           potentially life-threatening important                  than
                                                                      ever. Unfortunately,
                                                                                             to affect people’s mental health
                                                                                             around the world. Early on, the Journal
testing throughout                                situations. the pandemic has               of the American Medical Association
the pandemic.                                                         made benefits          projected a nationwide increase in
                                — Dr. Balan, Kaiser Permanente
Some providers                                                        enrollment — and       depression, anxiety and post-traumatic
have been using                                                       learning which         stress due to COVID-19. (This is
telehealth in                                                         benefits are best      according to Sandro Galea, M.D., et
their testing,                                                        for you — harder,      al., “The Mental Health Consequences
and our internal                                                      too.                   of COVID-19 and Physical Distancing:
psychological testing team has                     We’ve always focused on meeting           The Need for Prevention and Early
compiled a list of testing measures that our customers where they are — making               Intervention,” Journal of the American
are conducive to telehealth services.         sure they understand and choose the            Medical Association Internal Medicine,
We use this list, as well as the American right benefits — regardless of whether             April 10, 2020.)
Psychological Association’s principles,       it’s in-person or virtual. When offices            Sadly, that is proving true with more
as guidelines for telehealth testing          began to close in the U.S. last year, we       recent data suggesting that signs and
during the COVID-19 crisis.                   already had a virtual meeting platform         symptoms of mental health conditions
                                              for benefit counselors, but we expanded        continue to rise, particularly among
POST-PANDEMIC PLANS                           our number of virtual counselors. Our          young people and caregivers. As
    While Blue Shield specifically and        Employee Assistance Program (EAP)              people search for ways to cope with
the nation in general have made great         also provides phone and online chat            increasing stress and anxiety, we’re
strides in combating the COVID-19             solutions for a variety of personal and        seeing startling increases in substance
pandemic, the crisis is far from over.        work issues.                                   use and addiction. Unfortunately, the
Together with our partner Magellan, we             The ability for customers to connect      national opioid crisis has only worsened
have quickly responded to the public          with benefits counselors during off-           during the coronavirus pandemic.
health emergency, making needed               hours is also paramount. If 10 p.m. on             In June, four out of 10 adults said
changes to support timely access to           a Wednesday is the best time, Colonial         they’ve dealt with mental health or
care and patient safety. We recognize,        Life can make it happen. Virtual makes         substance use issues, while more
however, that the changes we’ve made          it possible.                                   than one out of 10 said they’ve either
during this critical time require further                                                    started using substances or increased
evaluation before we commit to making Brian Sullivan, Humana:                                their use. (Mark E. Czeisler et al.,
them permanent. We are currently                   Go365 rewards points to members           “Mental Health, Substance Use, and
documenting specific plans for this           for working out, but we verify their           Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19
evaluation and recommended actions            activities before doing so. Since gyms         Pandemic—United States, June 24–30,
based on observations during the              and other fitness facilities had shut          2020,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
pandemic period.                              down or otherwise experienced a drop           Report, August 14, 2020.)
    We expect to assess whether some          in attendance, we added functions                  People who already struggled with
of our expanded telehealth services           to our program where members                   addiction are suffering in isolation,
deliver an optimal level and quality          could earn points for exercising               creating dangerous and potentially
of care outside of these extenuating          along with virtual fitness programs            life-threatening situations. A recent

          MAY 2021                                           CalBrokerMag.com                             CALIFORNIA BROKER | 19
study (“June Brings Some Mental             This could include helping employers       to 741741 are connected to trained
Health Relief for U.S. Workers, but Risk    construct a benefits education strategy    counselors who provide support in
for Mental Health Conditions Remains        to help workers learn about and take       dealing with issues such as anxiety,
High,” Total Brain, accessed Sept. 23,      advantage of all the offerings available   stress, fear, and isolation and help
2020) found that:                           to them. With employees continuing         them identify coping strategies and
    • 54% of employees are at               to operate remotely, it’s important for    other resources.
       increased risk of a depressive       employers to see how their workers
       disorder, 49% have a higher risk     are dealing with the extraordinary         Jennifer Christian-Herman, Ph.D.,
       of post-traumatic stress disorder    challenges of pandemic conditions.         Blue Shield of CA:
    • 41% have a higher risk of a               Aside from a mental health                 To help ensure employers,
       general anxiety disorder             issue, many people are struggling          employees and individuals have
    • 11% have a higher risk for            with extended periods of isolation,        comprehensive knowledge of Blue
       addiction.                           facing stress and anxiety about            Shield’s behavioral health benefits
                                            health concerns, or juggling a variety     and know how to access them, we
   This confluence of problems              of responsibilities personally and         encourage brokers and benefits
contributes heavily to deaths due to        professionally while working from          professionals to partner with their Blue
drugs, alcohol, or suicide, also known      home. In particular, women are a           Shield sales representatives, who can
as “deaths of despair.” These deaths        demographic bearing many burdens.          provide them with the current layout of
have been on the rise the last decade       Research shows that, compared with         Blue Shield’s offerings.
and projections for the coming months       men, they complete more household              At Blue Shield, we know that
are grim. However, we know they’re          chores and provide more child care and behavioral health is more than just a
preventable.                                caregiving for older adults. Yet, they     provider network, covered benefits, and
                                            have less leisure time, which can affect tech-enabled care. Our members need
Mary Langowski, Solera Health:              their ability to get much-needed rest      to:
    With COVID-19 we have seen              and self-care. And that data predates
more demand for all of our programs.        COVID-19, which put many women in              • Recognize early signs and
A recent American Psychological             a position to have to choose between              symptoms
Association survey showed 42% of            work and child care. Brokers have an           • Understand what programs are
respondents reporting undesired weight      opportunity to lend a listening ear and           available and appropriate for
gain, due to the pandemic, which is a       offer solutions to help workers set their         them
high contributing factor for the onset of   employees up for                                              •         Quickly
diabetes, so both payers and employers      success.                                                      access care across all
are moving to help consumers stem the           On the topic of         COVID-19 has brought              acuity levels
tide. Moreover, COVID-19 has brought        emotional health,
increased stress upon Americans,            a non-benefits              increased stress upon                 By realizing our
with a Gallup poll showing that 55% of      consideration                      Americans, with a          vision  of an improved
people are experiencing stress “a lot of    is informing                                                  healthcare delivery
the day”, which is why we launched the      businesses about                Gallup poll showing           system, we believe
True Strength Bundle to help address        national programs          that 55% of people are             that future members
this combination of conditions.             they can promote                                              will actually have less
    Our programs are traditionally          to employees               experiencing stress “a             need for behavioral
accessed both in-person and digitally.      such as Crisis               lot of the day”, which           healthcare services,
To adapt for COVID-19, our community-       Text Line, which                                              because problems
based organizations successfully and        Aflac supported                 is why we launched            that lie in social
quickly moved to offer virtual classes,     during COVID-19                    the True Strength          and behavioral
but digital options continue to remain      with a $1 million                                             circumstances—which
extremely popular.                          donation to assist
                                                                       Bundle to help address             can progress into
                                            frontline workers.              this combination of           medical issues—will
WHAT SHOULD BROKERS AND                     The not-for-profit                                            be lessened.
BENEFITS PEOPLE KNOW AND                    organization
                                                                                      conditions.             This is key to
DO TO HELP CLIENTS BETTER                   responds to                            — Mary Langowski,      emphasizing not
UNDERSTAND AND UTILIZE THEIR                thousands of                               Solera Health      only Blue Shield’s
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BENEFITS?                 texts each day                                                behavioral health and
                                            from individuals                                              wellness benefits, but
Stephanie Shields, AFLAC:                   experiencing mental or emotional           to communicating the importance of
    Maintaining ongoing, authentic          distress. They reported an increase in     addressing mental health and helping
relationships with clients is vital.        communication with frontline workers       members find clinicians they can trust.
Check in with them regularly to listen      and their family members impacted
and provide counsel, both generally         by the pandemic. Individuals seeking       Pam Jenkins, Colonial Life:
and about emotional health benefits.        crisis counseling who text FRONTLINE           Brokers should:

 20 | CALIFORNIA BROKER                                  CalBrokerMag.com                                             MAY 2021
• Continue to talk about the              at kp.org/getcare. In addition, our          position, align our workforce, and
     importance of dealing with any          emotional wellness support resources         reinforce and accelerate our digital
     mental concern as a health issue.       have been essential during the               roadmap. Looking ahead to 2022, Aflac
   • Contribute to the process of            pandemic. Whether it’s to help with          will hone in on our growth initiatives,
     destigmatizing mental health.           sleep, stress, or relationships, we          including building a coordinated
   • Recognize the impact to an              offer many digital resources for our         value proposition and experience for
     employer’s bottom line if               members’ mental health and wellness,         our newly acquired businesses and
     employees are struggling to find        including popular                                                    expanding our
     help with personal issues. This         wellness apps                                                        distribution through
     can result in higher absenteeism,       like myStrength                  Our goal is to always               new channels. In
     poor job performance, and impact        and Calm. The                                                        addition, we are
     coworkers.                              myStrength app                    be available for our               also continuing
                                             (a wholly owned                  members, especially                 to look at how
Brian Sullivan, Humana:                      subsidiary of Livongo                                                we can leverage
    We believe that intervening early        Health, Inc.) offers a
                                                                                 when they need us                automation and
can help reduce the rate at which            personalized program        most. We moved fast to                   digital solutions to
employees present with more advanced         with interactive                                                     create efficiencies
complications, such as depression            activities, in-the-
                                                                           shift delivery of nearly               for our customers.
and chronic stress. Behavioral health        moment coping                100% of our scheduled
solutions should address a wide range        tools, inspirational          mental health services                 Jennifer
of severity and diversity of mental          resources, and                                                       Christian-
health issues. Humana EAP, for               community support.              to telehealth options,               Herman, Ph.D.,
example, could be seen as an offering        Calm is a meditation          including group visits.                Blue Shield of
only for “serious” situations like fitness   and sleep app                                                        CA:
for duty evaluations, but they can           designed to help                               — Dr. Balan,              We are
also offer more preventive, everyday         lower stress and                         Kaiser Permanente           focused on further
resources to help people cope. Those         reduce anxiety.                                                      integration of
under-utilized aspects of EAPs should                                                                             medical and
be explored and promoted more. And           Mary Langowski,                                                      behavioral health
wellness programs should be more             Solera Health:                               care. Together with our behavioral
holistic in nature, not just addressing          Both brokers and benefits                health partners, Blue Shield offers
nutrition and exercise, but also stress      professionals should know that the two       an integrated medical and behavioral
and anxiety—two major drivers of poor        keys to maximizing behavioral health         health program that seeks to ensure
health in general.                           benefits for consumers are awareness         coordination between PCPs, specialty
                                             and choice. Many people do not even          medical practice clinicians, and
Dr. Balan, Kaiser Permanente:                know that there are behavioral health        behavioral health professionals, with
    Our goal is to always be available       benefits available to them, so clients       the goal of providing a more holistic
for our members, especially when             should be encouraged to outreach             care experience.
they need us most. We moved fast to          to their member population. More                 Our behavioral health vision for
shift delivery of nearly 100% of our         importantly, clients need to understand 2021–2024 is focused on further
scheduled mental health services to          that different people learn differently,     integrating medical and behavioral
telehealth options, including group          so offering just a single point solution     health care by leveraging the
visits. This helped ensure our members       provider for a behavioral health             collaborative care model and existing
could receive high-quality mental health     condition will not work for everyone.        accountable care organization (ACO)
care without delay and without risking       This is not a case where one size fits all, partnerships to:
exposure to COVID-19. We were able to        which is why Solera curates networks
quickly ramp up our telehealth offerings     of providers offering a range of learning        • Implement a value-based care
because we already had a robust,             methodologies and algorithmically                    model
highly efficient telehealth system. We       matches members to the best fitting              • Integrate primary care behavioral
also accelerated investments that have       solution for them.                                   health
enabled us to collect reported patient                                                        • Base decisions on data-driven
outcomes remotely, without patients          WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S MAJOR                         stratified medical behavioral
having to come into the office.              FOCUS OR CONCERN IN THE NEXT                         integration
    These things make it easy for            YEAR OR TWO?
members to get care remotely through                                                          Members and providers will also
video visits, phone appointments,            Stephanie Shields, AFLAC:                    have improved access to digital self-
e-visits, email consultations, mail-             Aflac, along with the world, will        help tools that provide evidence-based
order pharmacy, and a host of other          continue to navigate the global              treatment options and care navigation.
virtual support options on kp.org and        pandemic’s effects in 2021. This year        In-flight initiatives to improve medical/
the Kaiser Permanente app found              we continue to secure our financial          behavioral health integration include:

          MAY 2021                                          CalBrokerMag.com                             CALIFORNIA BROKER | 21
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