Security Health Plan’s new partnership with Freespira, Inc., maker of the first FDA-cleared digital therapeutic treatment for panic attacks, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will provide many members with a clinical alternative to current treatments.
Eligible Security Health Plan Medicaid and Commercial plan members are now able to take advantage of this new benefit offering starting in July 2022, with Medicare Advantage members having access by January 2023.
“Our members deserve access to options when it comes to their health care. Freespira is a proven, medication-free treatment for panic disorder and PTSD,” said Heather Kurtz, Director of Population Health at Security Health Plan. “We believe our members using Freespira treatment will experience a reduction in their symptoms so they can more fully participate in life and do the things they enjoy.”
Freespira works by addressing the underlying physiological factors behind panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. As an adjunct to medications and counseling therapy, the treatment normalizes breathing irregularities developed in response to underlying carbon dioxide (CO2) hypersensitivity. The Freespira treatment provides users with real-time physiological feedback-based training to regulate their respiration rate and exhaled CO2 levels. Telehealth coaching guides patients throughout the 28-day care journey to deliver maximum benefits from the twice daily, 17-minute treatments. To learn more, please visit freespira.com/shp.
“We’re thrilled Security Health Plan has chosen to provide access to a new treatment for the many individuals who suffer from life-impairing behavioral health conditions, such as panic attacks and PTSD symptoms,” said Joseph Perekupka, CEO of Freespira. “They are changing the treatment paradigm and meeting the needs of their members by offering Freespira’s evidence-based, at-home treatment, giving them the opportunity to live a life free of the debilitating symptoms associated with these conditions.”
Panic attacks and post-trauma symptoms cause significant disruption to daily life, are prone to misdiagnosis and result in high medical utilization. Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health conducted a peer-reviewed study that proved the efficacy of Freespira and its impact on costs. The study showed total medical costs declined by 35 percent for the year after treatment, pharmaceutical costs decreased by 68 percent, and emergency department costs were reduced by 65 percent.
Security Health Plan’s commitment to offering members pioneering advancements in telemedicine and virtual care to improve their physical and mental health supports the Health Plan’s effort to offer equitable access to high-quality health care for all members while managing health care costs.
