May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it is a good time to share what services BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina provides to its members. 

According to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. Having a mental illness can make day to day life challenging and impact someone's general health. 
 
BlueCross has expanded its offerings to make behavioral health care more accessible and maintainable by meeting members where they are in their journey. 

What behavioral health services are available to members?

• In Person:  Members receive access to a contracted network of licensed counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists and facilities.
• Telehealth: Members can use Blue CareOnDemandSM to schedule a telehealth appointment with a provider 7 days a week. Appointments are subject to a member's copay or deductible to access. 
• Message-Based Care: BlueCross has partnered with two message-based care providers to give members 24/7, digital access to these resources: 
  • Meru Health — is a free online program for members with moderate to severe anxiety and depression  
    • 12-week digital therapy program with a licensed clinician 
    • Peer support
    • Weekly themed lessons and practices 
  • NOCD — an online program for members with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
    • Live virtual therapy sessions with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) treatment 
    • Unlimited messaging with a therapist 
    • Members will pay their plan's copayment or deductible to access 

What is offered for members with chronic behavioral health conditions? 

Companion Behavioral Health offers a Care Management Program for members with ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression or in need of substance use recovery support. This program connects the members with a case manager who helps them get the care and resources they need. This program is available for all Group & Individual members. 

Which Group & Individual members have access to the message-based care programs? 

All ACA Individual and Family, Small Group ACA, and Legacy Individual and Small Group members have access.
Meru Health and NOCD are not available for Medicare Supplement members.
Short-Term Health members do not have access to Meru Health. 

How can members find a network behavioral health provider? 

Members can visit My Health Toolkit^® to find a network behavioral health provider.

How can a member get more information or sign up for these services and programs?

For Blue CareOnDemand, www.BlueCareOnDemandSC.com 
For the Care Management Program, https://www.companionbenefitalternatives.com/members/mental-health-conditions#Health-Coaching
For Meru Health, Companion Benefit Alternatives (CBA) — Meru Health
For NOCD, OCD Treatment and Therapy | NOCD (treatmyocd.com)

Please contact your sales representative for more information.

Meru Health is an independent company that provides behavioral health services on behalf of your health plan. 

NAMI is an independent organization that offers health information you may find helpful.