- Expanded Medicaid coverage with Horizon BCBS,
UnitedHealthcare, and Wellpoint, coupled with Ophelia's
pre-existing commercial health insurance relationships, deliver
affordable, evidence-based medical treatment for opioid addiction
to 3 million New Jerseyans
- Opioids claimed the lives of 2,651 New Jerseyans in 2022
amid an ongoing nationwide opioid epidemic
NEW
YORK, Oct. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ophelia, a
virtual opioid addiction treatment provider, today announced that
it is now serving Medicaid patients statewide in New Jersey. Ophelia has been serving
commercial health plan members and uninsured New Jerseyans since
2022. The Medicaid coverage expansion now provides 3 million
New Jersey residents access to
medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), an evidence-based
approach to OUD care that's considered the gold standard by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Within the last two decades, 645,000 Americans died from an
opioid overdose. In 2022 alone, there were more than 2,500
opioid-related overdose deaths in New
Jersey, yet access to quality MOUD treatment providers is
extremely limited and difficult to find. Additionally, only
one-third of community outpatient mental health treatment
facilities in states with a high rate of opioid addiction offer
MOUD treatment. Ophelia is addressing this crisis through its
virtual-first care model, making treatment both easily accessible
and affordable with expanded insurance coverage.
Ophelia's in-network coverage with Medicaid plans across
New Jersey, including Horizon
BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, and Wellpoint, created access to
accessible, affordable addiction treatment for New Jersey communities. Rather than navigating
the logistical hurdles of finding in-person care, patients can
connect from home with care coordinators who help schedule
telehealth appointments with Ophelia's MOUD-trained clinicians.
Ophelia's clinicians work with patients to prescribe the necessary
medication and help manage their prescriptions.
"Our mission is to break down the barriers that prevent people
from receiving life-saving OUD care, and our in-network Medicaid
coverage in New Jersey brings us
one step closer to that," said Zack
Gray, CEO and co-founder at Ophelia. "Access to specialized
virtual care is only impactful when it's affordable. We'll continue
to collaborate with health insurance plans to make quality MOUD
treatment accessible and affordable in each state because,
while each step forward matters, the reality is that we have a long
way to go to improve our nation's opioid crisis."
A recent study on treatment retention rates found that a
patient's insurance status has a direct critical impact on
MOUD treatment retention rates and health outcomes. Patients
receiving opioid treatment via in-network insurance, who were
predominantly Medicaid recipients, overwhelmingly (72%) stayed in
treatment for at least 180 days, compared to uninsured
cash-pay patients (48%) and insured out-of-network cash-pay
patients (37%).
For more information, visit: https://ophelia.com/.
About Ophelia
Ophelia is a digital provider of
medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD),
committed to making evidence-based treatment universally
accessible. Its mission is to remove barriers for the 80% of
Americans with OUD who are unable to access care. At its core is
the Ophelia Care Model, a team-based clinical model and software
platform developed by leading experts in addiction medicine and
psychiatry. Ophelia is licensed to provide care in 49 states and
D.C. and is contracted with Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial
insurers covering 85 million American lives.
Media Contact
ophelia@hermespr.co
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ophelia-expands-opioid-addiction-treatment-in-new-jersey-now-serving-89-of-medicaid-patients-302265997.html
SOURCE Ophelia