Private Payers News

CVS Health Invests $2.5M in Tobacco, Opioids Substance Abuse Care

The funds will support local organizations in combatting widespread tobacco use and vaping and providing opioid substance abuse care.

opioid epidemic, substance abuse care, vaping, Ohio, CVS Health

Source: CVS Health

By Kelsey Waddill

- CVS Health announced that it will be investing $2.5 million in Ohio community organizations to battle opioid use disorder and tobacco substance abuse care and to fortify its workforce training programs.

“We can help improve the health outcomes of our communities by strengthening our local support and empowering local organizations that are developing innovative solutions,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at CVS Health. “The organizations we are working with are truly dedicated to addressing the key public health issues in the state of Ohio and can help people on their path to better health.”

When CVS Health finalized its purchase of healthcare payer Aetna earlier in 2019, the combined companies promised to put $100 million toward social determinants of health this year. CVS Health’s investment in Ohio represents another step toward fulfilling that goal.

Ohio saw around 40 opioids-related deaths for every 100,000 residents in 2017—the second highest opioid overdose rate in the nation, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In 2014, the number of deaths was around 2,000 but over the course of three years it doubled, with synthetic opioids driving the spike.

CVS Health Foundation’s donation will help abate this epidemic through local organizations.

Four percent of CVS Health’s investment will go toward Easterseals of Cincinnati. The organization serves veterans who need substance abuse care for opioid use disorders. Over the course of the next two years with CVS Health’s support, Easterseals will offer comprehensive mental healthcare services.

Ohio also has a high rate of smoking. In 2017, a little over 21 percent of adults in the state smoked, exactly four percent higher than the national average.

Non-tobacco products are also on the rise in the state, including vapes and e-cigarettes. As of October 17, 2019, there have been 35 cases of vaping-related illnesses and there are another 34 still being analyzed. While none of these cases have resulted in death, 91 percent of these individuals were hospitalized for their illnesses.

The state of Ohio is doing its part to stem the destructive practices. Effective October 17, 2019, it is illegal to give, sell, or distribute cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, and nicotine alternatives to anyone under 21 years old. Sellers could face criminal charges, as could buyers who then provide the product to an underaged person.

The American Lung Association (ALA) will receive $500,000 from CVS Health, as promised when the company purchased Aetna. Medicaid managed plan members in the state who are addicted to tobacco will have access to a year-long Freedom from Smoking program provided through the ALA. The program includes online modules and a lung help line.

A grant of $30,000 will go to the American Academy of Pediatrics to help prevent tobacco and e-cigarette or alternative smoking among youths. The program enables providers to screen teenagers for potentially dangerous smoking behaviors.

Ohioans face many social determinants of health barriers to obtaining access to care. Other payers like UnitedHealthcare have also invested in the state, in an effort to address housing instability, food insecurity, transportation needs, and more.

CVS Health also intends to help fund solutions for these barriers. The company announced it will invest over half of the allotted funding, $1.5 million, in the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. The funds will cover new staff and education and training for clinic teams in 60 free clinics that operate across the state as well as supporting chronic disease management programs. The clinics will be empowered to serve 52,000 underreached Ohio residents.

Lastly, CVS Health will further establish its workforce six training sites dispersed across the state and will bolster its own Workforce Innovation & Talent Center and workforce programs, supporting veterans, Ohioans with disabilities, and other workers.

“Our continued investments to local non-profits and our workforce are key to making a meaningful impact on the lives of the people of Ohio,” said David Casey, vice president of workforce strategies and chief diversity officer at CVS Health. “We are committed to working with these organizations to expand the delivery of care and build healthier communities across the state.”