Wider Circle, Highmark Health Options West Virginia partner for rural health

Wider Circle, a company that works with health plans and providers to deliver community care programs, is joining forces with managed care company Highmark Health Options West Virginia (HHO WV) to help foster better health outcomes for its members.

The aim is to have Wider Circle’s peer-to-peer approach included in HHO WV’s benefit offerings and help the organization overcome the healthcare challenges of its members, especially those living in rural communities.

Wider Circle recruits local community members to head its programs, utilizing advanced data analytics to group members effectively. The combination enables Wider Circle to overcome barriers to rural healthcare. 

“West Virginia is among the most rural states in the country and health care resources in these areas can be inadequate,” Jason Landers, president of Highmark Health Options West Virginia, said in a statement.

“We are committed to building networks and relationships that bridge these barriers to care and increase access to critical health care resources in our rural communities. We welcome the expertise and proven success of Wider Circle to help accelerate our efforts.” 

THE LARGER TREND

In September, Wider Circle announced a partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD). The aim of the partnership is to have Wider Circle work with CareFirst’s Medicaid Plan to increase member engagement and make health outcomes better by promoting strong, supportive community bonds.

In September, AppliedVR, an extended reality company focused on chronic pain management, announced that Pittsburgh-based Highmark, a Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated health insurer, would be the first health plan to cover RelieVRx, formerly EaseVRx, which is AppliedVR’s FDA-cleared virtual reality offering to treat chronic low back pain. 

Eligible Highmark members 18 years and older diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic low back pain are able to get a prescription for RelieVRx without prior authorization.

In 2021, Highmark expanded access to Freespira’s digital therapeutic for PTSD, panic disorder, panic attacks and other panic symptoms. 

Besides bringing the treatment to members living in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, the agreement also provided remote coaching on how to use Freespira to those not already receiving support from a behavioral health professional, according to the announcement.