Issue 027
Welcome back to E&O Wednesdays, the enrollment-focused digital health newsletter from Exits & Outcomes — for paying subscribers only. This every-other-Wednesday issue digs into digital health companies that sell to self-insured employers as well as others that rely on enrollment-based distribution for their digital health programs.
E&O Wednesdays
Things are a bit slow thanks to the holiday here in the US last week so let’s skip right to the big employer stack this week… Was this forwarded to you? Increasingly, E&O is a covered benefit at many forward-looking digital health-focused employers. Why not yours? Consider a Business or Enterprise subscription today. Click this link to become a paying subscriber (there are personal plans available too).
Big employer digital health stack: Facebook
Digital health companies love to boast how many Fortune 500 customers they have. This recurring feature of E&O Wednesdays digs into a different Fortune 500’s (or similarly-sized employer’s) digital health stack. So far, in past Wednesdays issues, I’ve written about the digital health benefits stacks of 26 big companies — click any of their names below to read that previously published Wednesdays newsletter over at the E&O site:
- Walmart,
- Activision Blizzard,
- JP Morgan Chase,
- The Home Depot,
- Boeing,
- 3M,
- Chevron,
- BorgWarner,
- Bank of America,
- UnitedHealth Group,
- Costco,
- eBay,
- McKesson,
- Ford,
- Dell,
- AT&T,
- Disney,
- Novartis,
- Red Bull,
- VMware,
- T-Mobile/Sprint,
- Adobe,
- Phillips 66,
- Cox Enterprises,
- Wells Fargo
- and PayPal.
This week, I dug into the digital health benefits that Meta (the company formerly known as Facebook) is offering its employees for 2022. OK, I’m just going to call the company Facebook from here on out. I need a little more time. Can’t make the switch to Meta yet. Here’s what I found:
Facebook created an a capella video to drive 2022 enrollment
This thing made the rounds on Twitter and elsewhere a few weeks back, so it’s likely you’ve already seen it. If not — and you are a fan of a cappella, HR-produced corporate videos, or cringe — treat yourself to a viewing here. For those unwilling to watch, the lyrics feature a handful of reveals about the digital health benefits that Facebook offers its employees.
Here are a few choice lines that reveal two new partners (bolded) for 2022:
“Benefits are getting better for your body and your mind Get some glasses or some braces and call Lyra any time For your family Progyny has fertility covered So that’s what’s gonna change (that’s what’s gonna change) Now let’s move that thing and jump into the metaverse Oooooooooh, yeah!”
As the screenshot (above) from the enrollment video indicates, the other two digital health companies that Facebook name-checked were Accolade and Cleo.
On-site clinics: Crossover Health
If you have already read The E&O Crossover Health Report from April 2021, then you already know that Facebook was Crossover’s second customer after Apple. As I wrote in the report, Crossover is not just an on-site clinic provider, it offers a broad spectrum of tech-enabled services that compete with many of the other digital health benefits that employers offer their employees. Here’s how Facebook pitches Crossover to its employees:
“Employees at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park have access to medical, dental, vision and mental health care on campus.”
Bit of a soft sell. Facebook calls the clinics “wellness centers” but they offer comprehensive medical care services. The dedicated site for the clinics goes into much more detail.
Care navigation from Accolade
If your primary care provider is a part of the practice at the Crossover Health clinic, you probably don’t need Accolade’s navigation services, since Crossover can handle that. Facebook, however, offers Accolade to employees on some of its health plans:
“People who choose the EPO or PPO plans also have access to Accolade, an independent healthcare support service designed to help people navigate US healthcare, answer questions and provide advocacy services to make sure people get the care they need. Anyone enrolled in a medical plan over the age of 18—including spouses and dependents—can access the Accolade member portal. Accolade provides online and mobile access to your medical plan as well as telephone support from your dedicated Health Assistant. Your Health Assistant can:
- Answer questions about coverage and medical plan options
- Help you find an in-network provider or facility
- Answer questions about a bill
- Research claims and contact providers for more information
- Connect you to a nurse or to clinical case management”
Virtual visits from Teladoc
Similarly, Facebook employees who have a primary care provider at the Crossover clinic are able to conduct virtual visits with them, but Facebook employees on EPO and PPO plans can also seek out care from Teladoc. It just costs them a $10 co-pay. (Those on a Kaiser HMO do not have access to Teladoc. They have to seek out virtual visits via Kaiser.)
“Teladoc’s board-certified, state-licensed doctors can provide diagnosis, recommend treatment, and prescribe medication for non-emergency medical problems, like cold and flu symptoms, bronchitis, allergies, sinus problems, ear infections, and more. Your primary care doctor should always be your first point of contact, but if your doctor isn’t available, Teladoc may be able to help. To use Teladoc, just make an appointment online anytime and have a virtual visit with the doctor to address your concerns.”
Best Doctors for second opinions
Another Teladoc-owned offering: Best Doctors. Facebook explains:
“Best Doctors offers a range of services to help you and your family members make the right medical decisions. They can help you find medical specialists, provide expert advice, and review your medical situation to offer a confidential recommendation about your diagnosis and treatment plan.”
Lyra Mental Health for on-demand therapy sessions
“Your Lyra Mental Health benefit gives you, your spouse or domestic partner, and dependents access to:
- A limited number of free, confidential therapy sessions per person per year (sessions can be in-person or via live video); people enrolled in the EPO or PPO medical plans also have access to Lyra therapists through their medical plans with a $10 copay.
- A wide network of therapists who aren’t available through traditional insurance networks for personalized, quality care when you need it.
- Evidence-based therapists who practice methods that have been proven to work.
- 24/7 support from the Lyra Health Care Team for in-the-moment assistance.”
Interestingly, in this case, Facebook makes clear that similar services are available at its on-site Crossover clinic:
“Facebook employees in Menlo Park can get one-on-one counseling onsite at the Life@ Wellness Center in Menlo Park. The Life@ Wellness Center offers individual therapy, psychiatry, groups, and classes.”
Discount on Headspace meditation subscription
“Headspace: Facebook employees have access to a discount for an annual subscription to the Headspace meditation app.”
Rethink for parents of children with ADD, ADHD, ASD and more
This is probably the clearest pitch for Rethink that I’ve read:
“Rethink: This program provides one-on-one coaching sessions for parents of children who have learning or behavioral challenges, such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, and temper tantrums.”
Cleo for family planning and support
I wouldn’t have noticed this one if it wasn’t for that enrollment video above, because Facebook doesn’t feature this in any of the benefits guides I could find. However, Cleo does have a page for Meta/Facebook employees that gets into the details:
“Through Meta’s partnership with Cleo, Meta employees and their partners receive Cleo support at no cost. Cleo supports birthing parents, partners, adoptive parents, surrogate parents, fostering parents, same-sex parents, and single parents from family planning to pregnancy through parenting of children up to age 12. It is a free family benefit available to both primary and secondary caregivers. Upon enrollment, Meta employees can invite and extend the Cleo benefit to their partners.”
Wellness expenses reimbursement: $720
Interns at Facebook have a similar perk but it’s just $240.
“Wellness Reimbursement: We’ll reimburse Facebook employees up to $720 for eligible wellness expenses like gym memberships, golf green fees, sports leagues; mindfulness, meditation, and resiliency apps; classes, and lessons.”
No chronic condition management programs?
I’m always a little surprised when a big company like this doesn’t offer any chronic condition-focused digital health programs. In this case, the fact that Facebook counts Crossover Health as a key partner helps make the case that they don’t need to offer those programs, right?
Well, that’s a wrap on Facebook’s stack.
Some of these stacks are easier to figure out than others (so no promises), but let me know which company’s digital health benefits you’d like to learn more about by hitting reply to this email. If you happen to work at a Fortune 500 company (and I know that’s a lot of you), then please send me your benefits information.
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