Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska Improves Alaskans' Access to Behavioral Healthcare

Health plan expands provider network, adds innovative service that reduces barriers to care

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska today announced improvements to members' access to behavioral healthcare, which includes care for mental health conditions and substance use disorders, through new solutions that break down barriers to accessing care. This three-year initiative included developing a service to help members find an available provider and expanding the health plan's provider network.

Millions of people are affected by behavioral health conditions every year, but despite how common these issues are, people still struggle to get care. According to Mental Health America, nearly 30 percent of adults in Alaska with a mental health condition reported they could not get the treatment they needed, while 55 percent of Alaskan youths with clinical depression did not receive any treatment in the last year.

"When someone is struggling with a behavioral health condition, it's critical we meet them wherever they are in their healthcare journey," said Rami Rafeh, Vice President of Provider Strategy and Collaboration at Premera. "We focus on creating solutions that provide better access to services that fit someone's unique needs."

Premera is helping members get connected to care through its Matchmaker™ for Behavioral Health program. This new program, available on January 1, 2024, is designed to make the process of finding a healthcare provider less stressful and time-consuming. Premera members who use this program receive a curated list from the Matchmaker team tailored to the member's specific needs, which includes in-network behavioral health clinicians who are accepting new patients. The Matchmaker team can source providers for adults and youth anywhere in the country. Members receive their list for free if their plan includes access to the Matchmaker service.

Premera also expanded its behavioral health provider network in Alaska by 45 percent in the last three years to meet the increased demand for care. This growth added hundreds of clinicians across various specialties and locations that provide both in-person and virtual care. To support access to behavioral healthcare in the community, Premera also invested in the expansion of University of Alaska Anchorage's Master in Social Work program and supported the integration of UW Medicine's Collaborative Care model into primary care clinics in the Kenai
Peninsula, Mat-Su, Petersburg, and Northwest Arctic boroughs, and Southeast Fairbanks area.

Members should check their benefits booklet or call the phone number on the back of their ID card to determine services and care available under their plan. For more information about how to find care and use a plan's benefits, visit the behavioral health care essentials page.

About Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska
Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, a not-for-profit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association based in Anchorage, Alaska, is a leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, providing comprehensive health benefits and tailored services to its members.

SOURCE Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska