Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists (EDRS) Now Offering In-Network Insurance

NEW YORK, May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists (EDRS), based in Manhattan, New York, and a nationwide leader in at-home, on-campus, and community-based eating disorder treatment, announced today the official launch of its new insurance reimbursement partnership with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, an Anthem, Inc, insurance provider. The program covers the entire state of New York, and will be the first of many states for Anthem members.

“We are very pleased to be working with a leader in healthcare insurance, Empire Blue, to provide much needed eating disorder care to the New York metro area and New York State,” said EDRS Founder and CEO, Greta Gleissner.

“This partnership will provide a true lifeline to so many individuals struggling with an eating disorder who can’t afford to pay out of pocket and get the supplemental support they need,” Ms. Gleissner continued. “While residential, PHP, and IOP levels of care provide excellent clinical care and treatment, and are absolutely necessary, relapse is unacceptably high due to the complexity of the illness. Individuals often discharge from treatment feeling so motivated and confident, only to struggle while trying to manage life and recovery simultaneously. Going back for multiple rounds of treatment at higher levels of care is very expensive for families, highly disruptive to personal, relational and professional lives, and decreases one’s sense of hope in their ability to recover.”

Now, individuals will be able to have softer landings while stepping down to lower levels of care by having support where they struggle the most: in their environment. Not only will becoming an in-network provider with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield allow individuals to have at-home, on-campus, and community-based therapeutic support as part of their discharge plan from higher levels of care, they will also be able to access EDRS’s therapeutic support while in higher levels of care. The result will be stronger retention of the benefits from residential treatment, less disruption to lives, and cost savings for both clients and the insurance company.

EDRS has provided transitional and step down care since 2014, serving hundreds of clients across the country utilizing its highly-skilled staff of licensed eating disorder clinicians in 27 states. Partnering with Empire Blue, hundreds, perhaps thousands, in the coverage area will be able to receive transitional eating disorder care who otherwise would not be able to afford it. EDRS believes that having at-home, on-campus, and community-based therapeutic care in conjunction with traditional treatment will help clients transition more smoothly back to their lives and dramatically increase the number of successful outcomes.