Behavioral health-related emergency department visits among Capital Blue Cross members dropped 9% in 2025 versus the 2022 to 2024 average, according to an Aug. 17 report from the insurer.
The improvement was even sharper for members who got care sooner — through newly added in-network providers, virtual behavioral health options and care management programs — where emergency visits tied to behavioral health fell more than 16% compared with the 2022 to 2024 average.
The insurer expanded its behavioral health network by nearly 40% in 2025 and 2026, adding more than 439 clinicians. It also moved behavioral health support staff in-house to better coordinate care and connect members with help sooner.
“When access to outpatient behavioral healthcare improves, members are more likely to get help earlier, before symptoms escalate to the point of crisis,” Jeremy Wigginton, MD, chief medical officer at Capital Blue Cross, said in the release.
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