A whole picture of health includes mental health, and CU Health Plans are set to offer more robust coverage for mental health services in the new plan year.

Starting July 1, all University of Colorado medical plans administered by Anthem and Kaiser will cover one preventive mental health appointment per plan member per year at no cost.

The university saw increased mental health care utilization across all plans, resulting in this added coverage. This change will build on coverage and resources already offered by Anthem and Kaiser.

“It’s encouraging to see our employees taking those crucial steps to improve their well-being with professional mental health care,” said Tony DeCrosta, CU Health Plan’s chief administrator “We’re committed to offering these services and ensuring they have access to quality care.” 

Employee Services has compiled a list of mental wellness resources for quick reference by faculty and staff seeking support. Some resources are offered regardless of enrollment in a medical CU health plan.

CU Health Plan – Kaiser recently added a new perk to its collection of supplementary mental health resources. Kaiser already offers enrollees access to well-being apps such as Calm and MyStrength. Ginger, an emotional coaching app, is the newest addition to Kaiser’s mental wellness offerings.

Kaiser Permanente members age 18 and over have access to a 90-day Ginger subscription per year at no cost and without a referral. Ginger connects users with professional coaches to assist with common life challenges such as stress, grief, interpersonal problems and more. Ginger coaches can help users establish goals and outline concrete plans to address the challenges in their lives. The app also provides a library of over 200 activity resources. Employees can download Ginger on kp.org.

Open Enrollment ends at 5 p.m. May 6. Visit the Open Enrollment website for full details. If you have questions, please contact an Employee Services benefits professional at 303-460-4200, ext. 3, or email benefits@cu.edu.