Mental health challenges continue to grow and can have a significant impact on well-being1. According to new data from America’s Health Rankings, nearly 15.4% of adults in the US reported experiencing frequent mental distress in 20242.
To focus on just one condition, 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders which can impact quality of life3. Anxiety is now the no. 1 mental health issue among American workers4.
Workload and working long hours can have a negative impact on overall mental health, happiness, and well-being, according to the American Psychological Association5.
Supporting Mental Health Needs
Having access to affordable mental health care is important to overall health and well-being.
Surveys show that people overwhelmingly believe support for mental health at work is important. In fact, 92% of workers said it is very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being5.
Some employers now offer more modernized health plans that can help you more readily access needed services to support overall health and wellbeing. Talk to your employer about what benefits and programs might be available to you.
Modernized Health Plans Offer Better Access
The Surest health plan from UnitedHealthcare gives people the tools to search for mental health care through an easy-to-use digital shopping experience that can help improve access and lower the total cost of care. Recent studies found the Surest model lowered consumer out-of-pocket costs by 54%6.
Surest eliminates deductibles and coinsurance. Instead, members have copays that vary based on the provider and facility, with higher-value options costing less. Providers are evaluated on how they have performed historically on certain criteria like effectiveness and cost efficiency.
Women who choose Surest, for example, paid 88% less for anxiety-related provider visits and 82% less for depression-related visits compared to members on a conventional health plan, according to one recent study7.
Digital Resources Offer Support and Convenience
Studies show that Surest members also have improved access to care. Eligible Surest members can now access digital tools such as Calm Health, as a part of their mental health benefits.
Calm Health offers an entry point for eligible Surest members to connect with personalized resources to help support their mental health in-the-moment or as a supplement to engagement with a licensed professional.
Calm Health is an evidence-based mental health app, designed to help members access personalized mental health support, including mental health screenings, therapy referrals, personalized programs and daily self-care content.
By opting for more modern health plans and using digital resources, you can enhance your access to mental health care. These types of resources can help reduce out-of-pocket costs and help you live a healthier life in 2025.
1 Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 2021, https://adaa.org/workplace-stress-anxiety-disorders-survey
2 America’s Health Rankings, 2024, https://assets.americashealthrankings.org/app/uploads/allstatesummaries-ahr24.pdf
3 Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 2022, https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics
4 Forbes, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2024/03/27/anxiety-skyrockets-to-no-1-issue-among-american-workers-new-study-shows
5 American Psychological Association, 2023, https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/work-in-america/2023-workplace-health-well-being
6 Surest Impact Study, https://www.surest.com/performance/impact
7 Surest Women’s Health, https://www.surest.com/performance/womens-health
Dr. Greg Carnevale
Dr. Greg Carnevale is Chief Medical Officer for UnitedHealthcare of PA.
