Underscoring the connection between oral
health and total health, Guardian becomes the first insurer to
include tobacco cessation in workplace-sponsored dental
insurance
NEW
YORK, June 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian
Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian) has
announced a new partnership with Pelago, the leading digital clinic
partner to U.S. businesses and health plans for substance use
management. For Guardian members with workplace-sponsored
dental insurance, Pelago will guide and support individuals through
a personalized and confidential tobacco cessation program
leveraging digital solutions and human coaching.
Through the partnership, Guardian members and their families in
pursuit of a tobacco-free lifestyle will have access to a dedicated
Pelago care coach, digital tools including personalized tracking
and cognitive behavioral therapy content, and nicotine replacement
therapy if needed. Available in July for new dental plans, Guardian
will become the first dental insurer to offer members a
comprehensive tobacco cessation program included in their dental
benefits.
The American Dental Association notes tobacco use as one
of the leading causes of preventable illnesses in the U.S., and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that smokers
have two times the risk for gum disease than non-smokers.
Additionally, the implications of tobacco use extend beyond oral
health. In fact, Guardian's recent Ounce of Prevention
report found that 78% of adults with self-reported poor oral
health—for which tobacco use can be a contributing factor—say it
has a negative impact on their mental health.
Guardian's efforts to support well-being across mind, body, and
wallet® extends to individuals of all ages, and the
partnership with Pelago builds on its ongoing commitment to
children's oral health. With the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention indicating that more than 3 million young Americans
use e-cigarettes or vapes, Guardian members will be able to
leverage Pelago's tobacco cessation program for their covered
dependent children ages 15 and older. The extension of tobacco
cessation support for members' children is in addition to existing
Guardian oral health resources for kids, including its Early
Smiles™ program, a unique plan option that provides 100% coverage
on preventive, basic, and major care for children ages 12 and
under. Additional resources include tips for visiting the dentist
and video content for parents to learn more about the connection
between oral health and overall well-being.
"Choosing to reduce or eliminate the use of tobacco can be a
life altering decision. But, the road to quitting can be difficult.
Whether it is our member, their children, or another covered family
member leveraging the cessation program, Pelago's services will
help us be a better resource to individuals as they make daily
well-being and lifestyle changes in pursuit of a tobacco-free
life," said Jill Purcell, Head of
Dental and Vision Product and Network Management at Guardian.
When individuals have access to personalized resources to help
them reduce or eliminate tobacco usage, they're more likely to
achieve their goals. When using the program, Pelago found that its
users were five times more likely to quit over the course of a year
compared to other programs and 44% successfully quit smoking
after 26 weeks*.
Included in workplace-sponsored dental insurance benefits,
employers also benefit from employees' tobacco cessation efforts.
Specifically, the elimination or reduction in employee tobacco
usage can help boost employee productivity, reduce health care
costs, and decrease absenteeism over time.
"While overall tobacco usage rates have declined, usage remains
stubbornly high among workers in certain industries," said Pelago
CEO and Co-Founder, Yusuf Sherwani,
M.D. "With many employees getting dental benefits through their
workplace, employers have an outsized opportunity to influence
cessation efforts, employee well-being, and cost savings.
Especially for small and mid-size businesses who might otherwise
not be able to afford a stand-alone program, we're excited to
partner with Guardian to offer effective substance use management
through our tobacco cessation support and include it as part of
workplace-sponsored dental benefits."
The addition of tobacco cessation as an included solution to
Guardian's workplace-sponsored dental insurance illustrates
Guardian's commitment to pursuing a broader oral health wellness
strategy and further differentiates Guardian's market-leading
dental offering. By providing access to curated oral health
solutions not typically covered by traditional dental insurance
products, Guardian is unlocking new ways to increase plan value for
members and their families. This commitment to increasing plan
value in order to support well-being extends across Guardian and
its Group Benefits business, most recently demonstrated with the
addition of Wellthy's caregiver support solutions as an included
offering in Guardian's employer-provided disability insurance
policies. Guardian also partners with Spring Health to
provide members with access to mental health professionals and a
wide range of solutions.
For more information about Guardian's dental insurance and
Pelago partnership, visit
https://www.guardianlife.com/group/dental-insurance/tobacco-cessation.
For media:
- For Guardian: Morgan Musikantow,
Individual Markets and Group Benefits External Communications Lead,
morgan_musikantow@glic.com.
- For Pelago: Bruno Solari
bruno@solcomms.co.
About Guardian
Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need
us most. With over 160 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we
are a trusted resource to generations of families and business
owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial
confidence. Today, we stand behind millions of consumers, helping
them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their
families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we
help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss. As a
modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond
dividends. We invest in our colleagues, are building an inclusive
and innovative culture, and are helping to uplift communities
through thoughtful corporate impact programs. Guardian, which is
based in New York City, is a
leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits,
and has received accolades for its culture and service. Our
colleagues and financial professionals serve with care and
experience, and our commitments rest on a strong financial
foundation, which included a 2024 dividend allocation of
$1.398 billion – the largest in the
company's history. For more information, visit guardianlife.com or
follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Disclaimer
Guardian® is a registered trademark of The Guardian Life
Insurance Company of America. Copyright © 2024 The Guardian Life
Insurance Company of America.
Dividends are not guaranteed. They are declared annually by
Guardian's Board of Directors. The total dividend calculation
includes mortality experience and expense management as well as
investment results.
Financial information concerning Guardian as of December 31, 2023, on a statutory basis: Admitted
assets = $80.3 billion; liabilities =
$71.2 billion (including $58.0 billion of reserves); and surplus =
$9.1 billion.
*Indicates Pelago internal data, as of June 2024
About Pelago
Pelago partners with enterprises as the
leading virtual clinic for substance use management among their
employees. We are transforming substance use support – from
prevention to treatment – delivering education, management skills,
and opportunities for positive change to members struggling with
substance use, most commonly tobacco, alcohol, opioids or cannabis.
Our solution gives employers the means to offer on-demand,
personalized support to workers seeking to live healthier lives.
Pelago's cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication-assisted
treatment (MAT) programs deliver convenient, accessible and
effective support that seamlessly integrates with health plans,
pharmacy benefit managers and wellness platforms. Tens of thousands
of members enroll in the Pelago program each year, and more than
3.4 million now have access to the digital clinic.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guardian-and-pelago-launch-new-partnership-to-support-tobacco-free-lifestyle-and-inspire-well-being-302173667.html
SOURCE Guardian