Anthem Blue Cross has launched a diabetes prevention program to educate, treat and support its members who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes.
The yearlong program, provided in conjunction with diabetes prevention program integrator Solera Health, offers healthy lifestyle coaching and weekly classes to teach members the skills needed to lose weight, become more physically active and manage stress as part of their daily life to 86 million adults at risk for type 2 diabetes.
As part of the partnership, Solera will leverage its network of community groups as well as national and digital programs so qualified Anthem Blue Cross members can simply and easily access the type of program where they believe they will have the greatest success.
To facilitate that process, Solera has launched solera4me.com, a website that enables members to complete a risk assessment to determine whether they qualify for the program, match with a program provider based on their preferences and confirm their plan eligibility. Anthem and Solera are also working together with Anthem’s Enhanced Personal Health Care providers and Accountable Care Organization partners to identify members who may benefit from the program.
This program is now covered in full as a preventive care benefit for members enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) -compliant plans. Non-ACA compliant plans, such as grandfathered individual plans that were purchased on or before March 23, 2010, may cover preventative care with a member’s co-pay.
“Solera Health is built around the belief that no two patients are alike, and thus there is no single approach to chronic disease prevention that can meet the diverse health, wellness and lifestyle needs of a population like Anthem Blue Cross’ membership base,” said Brenda Schmidt, CEO of Solera Health. “Through this partnership, we are able to empower California residents with the option to choose from an array of community, national and digital/virtual diabetes prevention program providers, each uniquely designed to help put them on an appropriate path towards type 2 diabetes prevention or reversal.”
Solera currently works with community organizations such as Black Women for Wellness (Black Women’s Health Imperative affiliate), the Los Angeles Diabetes Alliance, Valley Jewish Community Center, A Vision of Health, Skinny Gene Project and many others to provide the program at the local level.
For Anthem Blue Cross members who prefer a virtual program or who would like to interact from the privacy of their home, members have access to a wide range of digital providers including HealthSlate, Retrofit, Blue Mesa Health and Lark. A digital diabetes prevention program addresses the needs of members who find the burden of in person meetings a barrier to engaging in efforts to improve their health. Solera has also partnered with large national organizations like Jenny Craig to provide the diabetes prevention program in person at delivery sites across the state.
