ReKlame Health, a mental health company focused on BIPOC communities, joins Cigna

Cigna members in New York, New Jersey, and Florida will have access to ReKlame's platform

Every age group, racial and ethnic group, and every gender, had their mental health impacted negatively by the pandemic, but it it's more difficult for black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) to get care.

While 17% of Black Americans report living with a mental illness, compared to 15% of Hispanic Americans, 13% of Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI), 23% of Native and Indigenous Americans, and 19% of White Americans, there are major disparities in terms of access to services, as 48% of White Americans received mental health services, compared to 31% of Black Americans and Latinx/Hispanic Americans and 22% of AAPI populations.

Part of this has to do with the cost of care, and the fact that only 59% of psychiatrists accept insurance, compared to the 80% national average of primary care physicians.

These are issues that ReKlame Health is dedicated to solving: the company's goal is to provide mental health care and medication management for young adults and people of color, treating conditions that include depression, anxiety, addiction, ADHD, trauma and mood disorders, by offering them accessible, cost-effective psychiatric care. 

That includes partnering up with insurers, providing in-network access from Optum, United Healthcare, Oxford, Oscar, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Aetna. 

Now ReKlame is going to be expanding its reach, as it announced on Thursday that it added another major provider, joined Cigna in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. The company says that this now puts it on a path to reach 10,000 BIPOC patients. 

ReKlame creates customized plans that integrate multiple modalities and its team of providers are trained in cultural competency for behavioral health. In addition to offering insurance, it also makes care more affordable by providing cash pay visits at half the national average, while also offering a sliding scale based on need and income.

"ReKlame Health is a mission-driven company that is advancing behavioral health equity by lowering barriers to access care for an underserved population," said Evans Rochaste NP, founder and CEO of ReKlame Health.

"By joining Cigna's network, we're now able to reach thousands more BIPOC patients who are in dire need of mental health and addiction care services."

Like many other major insurers, tech companies, and hospital systems, Cigna has made mental health a key priority over the last few years, particularly through partnerships with companies like ReKlame. 

Other partners have included Annum Health, Happify Health, Grow Therapy, Bicycle Health, Prevail Health, Alma, and Meru Health; just last week, Brightline, a mental health solution built specifically to care for children, teenagers, and their families, partnered with Evernorth, the pharmacy, care and benefits solutions division of The Cigna Group.

Evernorth has also launched the Confide Behavioral Health Navigator tool, which is designed to help patients get 24/7 access to care teams that can triage their symptoms and connect them to care, and the Cigna Foundation also announced more than $3 million in grants to local nonprofits to help address childhood hunger and mental health concerns.

(Image source: reklamehealth.com)