Health Vision Month

Blue Cross NC Launches Innovative Disease Solutions

To help address two of the largest ongoing health issues facing Americans today — smoking and type 2 diabetes — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has teamed up with Carrot Inc. and Virta Health to offer members disease reversal solutions through comprehensive virtual care at no cost!

Virta and Carrot’s programs will be available to individual members under the age of 65 and fully insured group members beginning November 2020.

“We are excited to team up with Carrot and Virta and bring their innovative, life-changing programs directly to the homes of our members and address some of North Carolina’s most pressing health issues.”

Von Nguyen, VP of Clinical Operations and Innovations at Blue Cross NC

Carrot’s Pivot Program

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking. For every person who dies as a result of smoking, there are at least 30 people living with serious, smoking-related illnesses; which costs the state of North Carolina over $13 billion every year.

Carrot’s clinically-proven program, Pivot, is designed to empower individuals to quit smoking and maintain their non-smoker status by utilizing text-based access to trained tobacco experts, a first-of-its-kind personal breath sensor to track progress, nicotine therapy products, as well as online wellness resources.

Virta Health’s Diabetes Reversal Treatment

Virta Health, the leader in type 2 diabetes reversal, uses an innovative virtual care model that helps patients achieve normal blood sugar levels while eliminating the need for diabetes-specific medications.

Through the Virta app, patients can receive near real-time access to board-certified physicians and health coaches who provide expert, individualized guidance on nutrition and behavioral change. This treatment platform can be integrated into existing healthcare plans!

Sami Inkinen, Virta Health Co-Founder and CEO, stated that “this is a massive opportunity to change the direction of health of an entire state, save lives, and significantly reduce healthcare spend along the way.”

Information provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina’s Media Center.