Free diabetes management program for members of BlueShield
CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. » BlueShield of Northeastern New York announced its expanded partnership with Livongo® to offer the Livongo for Diabetes program at no-cost to fully insured BlueShield members living with the condition.
On average, people reduce their diabetes-related medical costs by approximately 22% during their first year with Livongo.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, the Livongo for Diabetes program will offer all BlueShield members a simple and convenient way to manage their diabetes, including providing a glucose meter, and as many testing supplies and lancets as needed delivered straight to members’ homes. Personalized 24/7 health coaching will also be part of the benefit.
The smart program enables members to reorder testing supplies directly from their meter, track food and activity, and enable family and doctor alerts if readings are off-track.
BlueShield first launched the program in 2018 with its own employees before expanding the program to its self-funded groups in 2019. The local health plan pivoted during the height of the pandemic to expand access to the digital diabetes management program to its Medicare Advantage members.
Since March, more than 1,100 Medicare members have enrolled in the program.
Within 90 days of beginning the program, most Livongo users decreased their A1c (the average of blood glucose readings over a three-month period) by 0.8%. After three years, most Livongo users had a A1c of approximately 7.0% (an A1c goal of at or below 7.0% is reasonable for most adults with diabetes).
“After successfully launching the Livongo for Diabetes program with BlueShield of Northeastern New York employees and Medicare Advantage members, we are excited to expand our partnership to include BlueShield fully insured members,” Livongo President, Dr. Jennifer Schneider M.D., M.S. stated.
“Our ability to deliver clinical and financial results at scale enables us to advance our relationships in the health plan market and reach more members,” Schneider added.
Livongo makes it easier for members to manage their health by providing a connected system that includes cellular devices and integration with continuous glucose monitors, access to health coaches, and real-time health insights delivered through Health Nudges. The Applied Health Signals platform leverages data science to understand people’s unique health needs and then provide clinically based guidance to drive positive behavior change.
“As a community-based health plan, our continued focus is on helping our members manage their overall health so they can maximize their quality of life,” Dr. Thomas Schenk, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, BlueShield of Northeastern New York said.
“We’ re proud to expand our partnership with Li von goto offer this simple, comprehensive diabetes management tool at no-cost to our members,” Schenk noted.
Additionally, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting members’ overall wellness during the pandemic, the communitybased, not-for-profit health plan also offered its members free access to Livongo’s highly interactive behavioral health solution.
The app features modules that can help manage heightened stress and feelings of social isolation due to COVID-19, as well as manage anxiety, stress, depression, chronic pain and sleep challenges.