Guardian and Pelago launch new partnership to support tobacco-free lifestyle and inspire well-being®

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Jun 17, 2024, 09:15 ET

Underscoring the connection between oral health and total health, Guardian becomes the first insurer to include tobacco cessation in workplace-sponsored dental insurance

NEW YORK, June 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America^® (Guardian) has announced a new partnership with Pelago, the leading digital clinic partner to U.S. businesses and health plans for substance use management. For Guardian members with workplace-sponsored dental insurance, Pelago will guide and support individuals through a personalized and confidential tobacco cessation program leveraging digital solutions and human coaching.

Through the partnership, Guardian members and their families in pursuit of a tobacco-free lifestyle will have access to a dedicated Pelago care coach, digital tools including personalized tracking and cognitive behavioral therapy content, and nicotine replacement therapy if needed. Available in July for new dental plans, Guardian will become the first dental insurer to offer members a comprehensive tobacco cessation program included in their dental benefits.

The American Dental Association notes tobacco use as one of the leading causes of preventable illnesses in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that smokers have two times the risk for gum disease than non-smokers. Additionally, the implications of tobacco use extend beyond oral health. In fact, Guardian's recent Ounce of Prevention report found that 78% of adults with self-reported poor oral health—for which tobacco use can be a contributing factor—say it has a negative impact on their mental health.

Guardian's efforts to support well-being across mind, body, and wallet^® extends to individuals of all ages, and the partnership with Pelago builds on its ongoing commitment to children's oral health. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating that more than 3 million young Americans use e-cigarettes or vapes, Guardian members will be able to leverage Pelago's tobacco cessation program for their covered dependent children ages 15 and older. The extension of tobacco cessation support for members' children is in addition to existing Guardian oral health resources for kids, including its Early Smiles™ program, a unique plan option that provides 100% coverage on preventive, basic, and major care for children ages 12 and under. Additional resources include tips for visiting the dentist and video content for parents to learn more about the connection between oral health and overall well-being.

"Choosing to reduce or eliminate the use of tobacco can be a life altering decision. But, the road to quitting can be difficult. Whether it is our member, their children, or another covered family member leveraging the cessation program, Pelago's services will help us be a better resource to individuals as they make daily well-being and lifestyle changes in pursuit of a tobacco-free life," said Jill Purcell, Head of Dental and Vision Product and Network Management at Guardian.

When individuals have access to personalized resources to help them reduce or eliminate tobacco usage, they're more likely to achieve their goals. When using the program, Pelago found that its users were five times more likely to quit over the course of a year compared to other programs and 44% successfully quit smoking after 26 weeks*.

Included in workplace-sponsored dental insurance benefits, employers also benefit from employees' tobacco cessation efforts. Specifically, the elimination or reduction in employee tobacco usage can help boost employee productivity, reduce health care costs, and decrease absenteeism over time.

"While overall tobacco usage rates have declined, usage remains stubbornly high among workers in certain industries," said Pelago CEO and Co-Founder, Yusuf Sherwani, M.D. "With many employees getting dental benefits through their workplace, employers have an outsized opportunity to influence cessation efforts, employee well-being, and cost savings. Especially for small and mid-size businesses who might otherwise not be able to afford a stand-alone program, we're excited to partner with Guardian to offer effective substance use management through our tobacco cessation support and include it as part of workplace-sponsored dental benefits."

The addition of tobacco cessation as an included solution to Guardian's workplace-sponsored dental insurance illustrates Guardian's commitment to pursuing a broader oral health wellness strategy and further differentiates Guardian's market-leading dental offering. By providing access to curated oral health solutions not typically covered by traditional dental insurance products, Guardian is unlocking new ways to increase plan value for members and their families. This commitment to increasing plan value in order to support well-being extends across Guardian and its Group Benefits business, most recently demonstrated with the addition of Wellthy's caregiver support solutions as an included offering in Guardian's employer-provided disability insurance policies. Guardian also partners with Spring Health to provide members with access to mental health professionals and a wide range of solutions.

For more information about Guardian's dental insurance and Pelago partnership, visit https://www.guardianlife.com/group/dental-insurance/tobacco-cessation.

For media:

For Guardian: Morgan Musikantow, Individual Markets and Group Benefits External Communications Lead, [email protected].
For Pelago: Bruno Solari [email protected].

About Guardian
Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With over 160 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence. Today, we stand behind millions of consumers, helping them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss. As a modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond dividends. We invest in our colleagues, are building an inclusive and innovative culture, and are helping to uplift communities through thoughtful corporate impact programs. Guardian, which is based in New York City, is a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits, and has received accolades for its culture and service. Our colleagues and financial professionals serve with care and experience, and our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which included a 2024 dividend allocation of $1.398 billion – the largest in the company's history. For more information, visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Dividends are not guaranteed. They are declared annually by Guardian's Board of Directors. The total dividend calculation includes mortality experience and expense management as well as investment results.

Financial information concerning Guardian as of December 31, 2023, on a statutory basis: Admitted assets = $80.3 billion; liabilities = $71.2 billion (including $58.0 billion of reserves); and surplus = $9.1 billion.

*Indicates Pelago internal data, as of June 2024

About Pelago
Pelago partners with enterprises as the leading virtual clinic for substance use management among their employees. We are transforming substance use support – from prevention to treatment – delivering education, management skills, and opportunities for positive change to members struggling with substance use, most commonly tobacco, alcohol, opioids or cannabis. Our solution gives employers the means to offer on-demand, personalized support to workers seeking to live healthier lives. Pelago's cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs deliver convenient, accessible and effective support that seamlessly integrates with health plans, pharmacy benefit managers and wellness platforms. Tens of thousands of members enroll in the Pelago program each year, and more than 3.4 million now have access to the digital clinic.

SOURCE Guardian