TriWest Offers New Service to Combat Anxiety

PHOENIX, March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TriWest Healthcare Alliance has a new Disease Management program for clinically diagnosed anxiety, which now joins the array of wellness and disease management programs offered to eligible TRICARE beneficiaries.

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and, in general, can help one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it develops into a disabling disorder. Anxiety disorders last at least six months and can grow worse if not treated. Eligible beneficiaries suffering from this level of anxiety can receive extra help through TriWest Healthcare Alliance, which manages the TRICARE military healthcare entitlement on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD) for 21 western states.

Significant anxiety disorders affect about 40 million U.S. adults 18 years and older in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. To compare, approximately 37 million people live in the state of California.

The Anxiety Disease Management program at TriWest has a number of services to help beneficiaries cope with their disorder, including a health coach who works with one's primary care manager to tailor an action plan. The health coach will then work with the beneficiary until the plan's goals are met. As needed, the beneficiary can also access smoking cessation, exercise, medication and nutrition help from his or her TriWest health coach.

TriWest's Disease Management department also offers support to beneficiaries with diabetes, asthma, lung diseases (COPD), heart failure and major depression. The anxiety program, launched by TriWest in March, is a no-cost entitlement for those who are eligible. Eligibility is determined by TRICARE and is based on claims history. Once a beneficiary is identified as eligible to participate in the program, the DoD refers the beneficiary to TriWest. A Disease Management health coach then contacts the beneficiary and invites him or her to participate in the program.  

In addition to what it offers through its Disease Management programs, TriWest works alongside the Military Health System to offer behavioral health resources for those in need. One such resource is the TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP). With this program eligible beneficiaries, including services members and their families, can access private, confidential counseling sessions 24/7 with a licensed therapist via the Internet (Skype), chat or the phone. These sessions are non-clinical and intended for general life issues, such as stress management or relationship problems. For more information, visit www.triwest.com/onlinecare.  

Beneficiaries can find additional resources at www.triwest.com/anxiety and www.tricare.mil.

About TriWest

TriWest Healthcare Alliance partners with the Department of Defense to do "Whatever It Takes" to support the healthcare needs of 2.7 million members of America's military family. A Phoenix-based corporation, TriWest provides access to cost-effective, high-quality health care in the 21-state TRICARE West Region. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or visit www.triwest.com for more information.

SOURCE TriWest Healthcare Alliance