RELEASE
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Helps Connect Members to Tailored Behavioral Health Care Options Through New, Virtual Navigation Solution
Brianna Neace
| 3 min read
DETROIT, May 24, 2023 – Starting July 1, 2023, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will offer a new behavioral health care navigation solution to help members find the provider best suited for their mental health or substance use needs more quickly and easily. This virtual care navigation solution will be available at no additional cost to in-state, fully-insured commercial and Medicare Advantage members ages 18 or older through a partnership with Quartet Health, a leading behavioral health care technology and services company.
Members can join the Quartet platform by registering and submitting a self-referral or they can be referred by a Blue Cross or Blue Care Network care manager. Following the referral, Quartet will conduct an individual assessment to match the member with an appropriate outpatient provider based on their clinical needs and preferences including the provider’s specialty, location and availability – both in-person and virtually.
“Blue Cross recognizes the difficulty some members may face when it comes to finding and accessing mental health care, while also understanding how important these services are to our members’ quality of life,” said Dr. Amy McKenzie, vice president of Clinical Partnerships and associate chief medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “We anticipate this partnership will help ease that pressure in locating a therapist or psychiatrist and obtaining a timely appointment, resulting in a better member experience through a platform that addresses their behavioral health care needs.”
Nearly 1.5 million Michigan residents suffer from a mental health condition; however, a 2022 survey found that 58% of Michigan adults reported it was difficult to find mental health providers that are affordable or covered by insurance. Blue Cross’ partnership with Quartet Health is designed to help bridge the gap in mental health care access and reduce barriers to these resources for those who need it most.
“Quartet is built upon the fundamental idea that everyone deserves high quality behavioral health care that fits their needs. The demand for whole-person behavioral health care has never been higher, and we applaud Blue Cross’ commitment to addressing the community’s needs in a new and impactful way. We look forward to working with providers across the state to improve members’ timely access to behavioral health care," said Christina Mainelli, CEO of Quartet.
For more information about resources and behavioral health programs available to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network members, visit www.bcbsm.com/mentalhealth.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for more than 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MIBluesPerspectives.com.
About Quartet Health
Quartet is a technology-enabled care delivery company that delivers speed to quality behavioral healthcare for all.Quartet’s technology and services identify people who need care, connect them to high quality care through networks of providers or Quartet's medical group, and support their care journeys. Quartet partners with health insurance plans, health systems, community behavioral health centers, certified community behavioral health clinics, and federally qualified health centers in 36 states across the country.
Quartet is backed by top investors like Oak HC/FT, GV (formerly Google Ventures), F-Prime Capital Partners, Polaris Partners, Deerfield Management, Centene Corporation, Independence Health Group, and Echo Health Ventures.
