Reducing Stigma, Increasing Access: What Members Really Need from Their Health Plan

Stigma is still one of the most significant barriers to mental health care. While awareness has increased, the experience of seeking help still feels difficult for many members. This article explores how health plans can use digital empathy and thoughtful design to remove that barrier and make it easier for people to take the first step.

Despite growing awareness, a large portion of adults with behavioral health needs still receive no treatment. Recent data shows that more than 55% of adults experiencing mental illness in the U.S. go untreated, often due to stigma, uncertainty, or not knowing where to begin. Stigma, both perceived and structural, remains a powerful deterrent at the exact moment when support is needed most.

For members, this isn’t just about access to benefits. It’s about how care feels.

Digital platforms now offer new ways to normalize help-seeking behaviors and reduce the emotional weight of getting started. When designed thoughtfully, they can create a sense of safety before a member ever speaks to a provider. Anonymous self-assessments, culturally sensitive messaging, and language accessibility help members feel seen, understood and more comfortable exploring support on their own terms.

NovaOne’s Digital Front Door is designed with this experience in mind. It reduces stigma by providing a judgment-free, self-guided entry point into care. Members can explore their needs privately, without pressure or labels, and connect to a wide array of preventive and treatment options that meet them where they are.

By embedding empathy into design and language, health plans can make mental health feel more routine, approachable and accessible, more like other aspects of everyday health.

Reducing stigma is not only a collective responsibility. It is also a strategic advantage. When members feel safe engaging with care, they are more likely to seek support earlier, stay engaged and build trust with their health plan over time.

Download our mental health stigma guide packed with actionable tips for promoting compassion, education and engagement in your workplace.

Sources:  NIMH, SAMHSA, APA, McKinsey & Company, Rock Health