RALEIGH — The NC Alliance of YMCAs and YMCA of the Triangle hosted a Health Innovations Roundtable on Monday, Nov. 4, at the Southeast Raleigh YMCA, bringing together Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Kody Kinsley, secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), and Suzanne McCormick, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA. North Carolina and national health partners joined for the discussion highlighting how the Y and its partners address health-related social needs to ensure access to services that can transform health outcomes.
Christy Colgan, Director, Strategy of Drivers of Health for Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina (BCBS NC), shared details of a four-year collaborative pilot between BCBS NC and the YMCA of the Triangle as part of the discussion. In the pilot funded by BCBS NC, patients were referred to the Y by a physician, typically as the result of a health diagnosis, such as pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, the risk of falls due to age or illness, or adult and child weight management. Referred patients benefitted from a Y Health membership with a bundle of three services—a YMCA membership, participation in an evidence-based health program and health coaching.
“The potential for medical expense net savings is being evaluated and the results will provide insight into the scalability of payor reimbursements of Y health programs and services,” Colgan said…