Behavioral Health, Wellbeing Resources for Employees During Stressful Times

May 21, 2020

Applies to: Large and national accounts, and self-funded (ASO) groups

Your employees are likely facing significant stress levels associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it’s fear and anxiety about the disease specifically or the financial and emotional stress that social isolation places on stay-at-home communities and essential workers still on the front lines, the impact is real.

We’re here to help.

As part of members’ medical benefits, they likely have access to behavioral health care. Members can contact their primary care provider for help or use Provider Finder^® to look for behavioral health providers to help them. They can also call the customer service number on their ID card for more assistance. Members can be connected with a behavioral health representative who can help them find available resources and/or locate an in-person or virtual provider.

Now is also a good time to remind employees about Employee Assistance Programs you provide.

Behavioral Health and Wellbeing Resources

These resources are designed to help your employees at every level of their care needs. We know these times can very taxing emotionally; we see the same in our own employees. But we believe the resources below can be excellent aids in helping ease or overcome the anxieties that many employees are feeling. Let us help.

Here are but a few resources your employees may use:

• 24/7 Nurseline: Registered nurses are available to members to answer general health questions and guide members to the appropriate level of care. Call the Nurseline* at 800-581-0368. 
  
  
• Virtual visits**: Members can easily schedule an online or telephonic visit with an in-network physician, including behavioral health providers and online counseling, without having to leave the comfort of their homes. They may also access your Virtual Visits benefit** provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) and powered by MDLIVE. 
  
  
• Digital Health Programs: Our vendors provide digital coaching and management solutions to help reduce risks involved with costly chronic diseases, such as musculoskeletal issues, diabetes prevention and management, hypertension, and weight management, in the comfort of the members’ home. These programs and coaches may also provide additional support related to condition management and COVID-19 concerns. For more information, see our March article: A Modern Approach to Health and Wellbeing.
  
  
• Well onTarget^® Fitness Program: Many fitness facilities have temporarily closed during the pandemic. Tivity Health^TM, which administers the Fitness Program, emailed all current members to offer different membership options that can help them keep them active and fit. Exercise can be a great stress reliever. 
  
  
• LifeTimes^TM newsletter/Connect Community: Our monthly newsletter provides timely articles that can help members cope with stressful situations. To receive the newsletter, employees just need to register for Blue Access for Members^SM. And our Connect community, with a library of articles, is an excellent place to send employees to get helpful ideas and resources on how to deal with stress – whether it is associated with the virus or life in general. Here’s an article that might help: New Work Life Making You Stressed?
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: The CDC provides updated information on the disease and closely related topics, such as daily life and coping.

More Resources

• Livongo^®: One of our digital partners, Livongo^®, which provides diabetes and hypertension programs, is offering a COVID-19 specific version of its myStrength digital behavioral health resource. This self-service tool is now available to our members and their family and friends during the pandemic.
  
  Members and visitors to our COVID-19 website can access myStrength for free through July 31. It is available to all members and visitors, regardless of whether your company participates in other Livongo programs. Here’s a flier you can share with your employees.
  
  
• Naturally Slim^®: A digital partner that provides weight-loss and metabolic syndrome services, Naturally Slim has created an employer toolkit with resources to help members stay engaged with the program and offer guidance about healthy activities during the pandemic.
  
  On its Now is the Time website, you’ll find materials to share with employees that cover topics ranging from managing stress and anxiety to creating healthy sleep habits to creating structure while working from home.
  
  If you are interested in distributing the collateral and would like Naturally Slim to help coordinate that, please contact your BCBSIL account executive.

Help Is Available

These are but a few of the many ways we’re here to assist you in helping your employees through these difficult times. Please contact your account executive to assist you with any of our resources that could support your endeavors and help you navigate this new reality.

 

*The 24/7 Bilingual Nurseline may not be available with all plans. Check your benefits booklet for details.

**Virtual Visits or telehealth may not be available on all plans. Virtual Visits and telehealth are subject to the terms and conditions of your benefit plans, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Non-emergency medical service in Montana includes audio-only and interactive online video visits. Non-emergency medical service in New Mexico is limited to interactive online video. Non-emergency medical service in Arkansas and Idaho is limited to interactive online video for initial consultation. Other State law rules or limitations may also apply.

MDLIVE is a separate company that operates and administers Virtual Visits for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. MDLIVE is solely responsible for its operations and for those of its contracted providers. MDLIVE operates subject to state regulations and may not be available in certain states. MDLIVE is not an insurance product nor a prescription fulfillment warehouse. MDLIVE does not guarantee that a prescription will be written. MDLIVE does not prescribe DEA-controlled substances, non-therapeutic drugs and certain other drugs that may be harmful because of their potential for abuse. MDLIVE physicians reserve the right to deny care for potential misuse of services.

Livongo is an independent company that provides chronic condition management to members with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois coverage. Livongo is solely responsible for the products and services that it provides.

myStrength is an independent website for Behavioral Health sponsored by Livongo. You acknowledge that you are voluntarily accessing and using the resources found on the site and consent that Livongo may provide Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois with an aggregate number of individuals who accessed the website link. These resources are available to all members independent of any other services provided by Livongo and regardless of whether their health plan provides access to any other Livongo services.

Naturally Slim is an independent company that provides Metabolic Syndrome Management to members with Blue Cross and Blues Shield of Illinois. Naturally Slim is solely responsible for the products and services that it provides.