The ESPA makes it easier for employees and their families to access professional psychiatric care through convenient virtual visits. Under the ESPA, there is no insurance billing required, helping members receive the support they need without unnecessary barriers.
There Aren’t Enough Providers
The demand for mental health services continues to exceed the available supply of psychiatric and behavioral health professionals. More than 150 million Americans live in areas designated by the federal government as having a shortage of mental health providers.
Access Through Traditional Plans Is Often Limited
Even when care is available, employees may face additional delays due to limited provider networks, insurance restrictions, and prior authorization requirements. Finding an in-network provider who is accepting new patients can be a challenge in many communities.
Demand Continues to Grow
The need for mental health services has increased significantly in recent years, creating additional pressure on an already strained healthcare system and contributing to longer wait times for appointments.
When employees are unable to access care promptly, concerns that may have been manageable early on can worsen before treatment begins. Delayed care can affect an employee’s well-being, productivity, attendance, and overall quality of life.
Over time, untreated or poorly managed behavioral health conditions may contribute to higher healthcare utilization and increased medical claims costs. Providing timely access to psychiatric care helps employees receive support sooner, improving outcomes while complementing the employer’s existing major medical plan.
The psychiatric practice behind the ESPA is led by board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioners, supported by licensed clinical social workers and occupational therapists. A psychiatric nurse practitioner can evaluate symptoms, prescribe medication, and manage medication as part of a care plan.
“I called in, and they determined I needed to speak with a psychiatric provider. I was able to schedule an appointment with a provider for the next day. It was that simple.”
Faster access helps your employee. It also changes the math on your major medical plan.
Mental health conditions are consistently among the largest drivers of total healthcare spend. (Milliman; National Alliance on Mental Illness.) When care is delayed for weeks or months, conditions that could have been managed early tend to escalate, which shows up later as higher claims and pressure at renewal.
The ESPA is built around early, preventive use. When your employees and their families can reach psychiatric care quickly, more issues get addressed before they become high-cost claims. Over time, that reduces dependency on the major medical plan and softens the claims pressure behind premium increases.
Schedule your consultation to see how the ESPA can strengthen what you offer your employees.
Receive your custom proposal showing what each employee would have access to, and the savings to your company.
Enroll your company in as little as 30 days.
Provide stronger benefits to your team while the employer recovers payroll tax savings.
Yes. When clinically appropriate, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner can prescribe and manage medication as part of an individual’s treatment plan. Providers evaluate each person’s symptoms, medical history, and treatment goals to determine the most appropriate course of care.
Medication management may include initiating treatment, adjusting medications, monitoring progress, and providing ongoing follow-up to help ensure the treatment plan continues to meet the member’s needs.
No. Virtual psychiatric care and counseling serve different roles in mental healthcare.
Psychiatric care focuses on the clinical evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of mental health conditions. It may include developing a treatment plan, prescribing medication when appropriate, and providing ongoing medication management.
Counseling, on the other hand, is talk therapy that helps individuals address emotional, behavioral, relationship, and life challenges through regular conversations with a licensed therapist or counselor.
Many people benefit from using both services together. The ESPA includes access to virtual counseling as well as virtual psychiatric care, allowing members to receive comprehensive mental health support based on their individual needs.
No. The ESPA is not insurance. It is an employer-sponsored plan, and these services are reimbursable under the ESPA.
Make Real Mental Health Support Easy for Your Team to Reach
-Convenient access to virtual psychiatric care for employees and their families.
-Available to the enrolled employee, spouse, and eligible dependents through the employee technology portal.
-Faster access to licensed psychiatric providers without the long waits often associated with traditional appointments.
-Works alongside your existing major medical plan and does not replace current coverage.
-No change to employee take-home pay.
-Most plans can be implemented within 30 days of enrollment.
-Qualified expenses are reimbursable through the ESPA, with no insurance billing required.
Provide your employees and their families with easier access to professional mental health support while strengthening your overall benefits package.
