PursueCare to Showcase Digital-First Addiction Treatment and Collaborative Care Models at 2025 Behavioral Health Business Addiction Treatment Forum in Chicago
Available across Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, and West Virginia, PursueCare delivers comprehensive, virtual-first SUD care that bridges the gaps in access and continuity of care.
Share
Nicholas Mercadante, Founder and CEO of PursueCare, will join the expert panel titled 'Who's at Quarterback? Ensuring Smooth SUD Handoffs and Building the Partnership Playbook,' slated for 11:30 a.m. CDT. Mercadante will discuss the critical importance of integrated care models and effective handoffs in SUD treatment, drawing on his experience leading a tech-enabled platform designed to meet patients where they are—with convenience, compassion, and clinical excellence.
As a former healthcare attorney turned entrepreneur, Mercadante founded PursueCare with a mission to dismantle barriers to addiction treatment by leveraging technology, innovative care delivery, and cross-sector partnerships. Under his leadership, PursueCare has become a leading voice in redefining how providers, payors, and care networks collaborate to treat SUDs holistically. 'Everyone of us at PursueCare is committed to value-based care, our team is dedicated to serving patients in need and shaping industry standards around quality, accessibility, and equity.'
Innovation in Action: How PursueCare Is Transforming Addiction Treatment
PursueCare delivers comprehensive, virtual-first SUD care that bridges the gaps in access and continuity of care. Available across Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, and West Virginia, the platform offers:
Multidisciplinary care teams include addiction medicine providers, counselors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists.
FDA-authorized digital therapeutics — RESET ® and RESET-O ® —that support recovery 24/7 through interactive cognitive behavioral therapy.
Integrated pharmacy and lab services through PursueCareRx, enabling seamless medication management and compliance monitoring.
Flexible access through a HIPAA-compliant app with support for both scheduled and on-demand visits.
Broad insurance acceptance, including Medicare, Medicaid, and most private plans.
Mercadante will share the virtual clinic's approach to forging strong partnerships with health systems, employers, and value-based care organizations—offering seamless care coordination, real-time engagement, and outcome-driven models that empower both patients and partners. He'll be joined by fellow industry pioneers Jamie Vinck, President of Meadows Behavioral Health; Beth Keeney, CEO of LifeSpring Health Systems; and Dr. Ayesha Appa, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
The BHB Forum will offer behavioral health professionals the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and learn from leaders and innovators across the industry. Attendees will include behavioral health professionals, investors, creators, and a range of vendors and service providers.
About PursueCare
PursueCare provides personalized virtual addiction treatment for individuals across states (CT, KY, MA, ME, OH, and WV). Our mission is to increase access to chronic care through telehealth. Patients engage with a multi-disciplinary team providing medical care, counseling, psychiatry, and pharmacy. FDA-authorized digital cognitive behavioral therapy, RESET ® and RESET-O ®, supports recovery 24/7. We accept private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
For full disclaimers please visit .
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
8 minutes ago
- The Hill
Mars says M&M's, Starbursts without synthetic dyes coming in 2026
Video above: FDA announces in April 2025 that it will phase out food dyes. (NEXSTAR) — While several other food companies had confirmed they would drop artificial food dyes in response to a mission set forth by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier this summer, Mars Wrigley was considered a holdout. That quietly changed late last month. In a late-July statement, which was first reported by Bloomberg on Thursday, Mars Wrigley North America announced it plans to release 'product options' made without artificial dyes in 2026. These options without synthetic dyes will be available only across four of its brands to start, according to the statement: M&M's, Skittles Original, Extra Gum Spearmint, and Starburst Original fruit chews. They'll be available to purchase online throughout the U.S. A spokesperson confirmed to Nexstar that the 'choice products' without artificial dyes will be additions to the current brands. They declined to say whether currently available products will be affected by the dye changes. AT&T reached a $177M settlement over data breaches: Will you get a payment? Mars did not immediately respond to Nexstar's request for additional information, like whether these options will replace others within each brand's portfolio, or if currently available products would be otherwise impacted. 'When we have identified fully effective, scalable solutions across the entire portfolio, we will share additional item commitments and timelines,' the company said in its statement. In April, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency would move to eliminate several synthetic dyes by the end of next year. That includes Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Blue 2. Red 3 was set to be banned in food by 2027 because it caused cancer in laboratory rats; the FDA called for that deadline to move up. The FDA has been relying on companies voluntarily ditching the aforementioned dyes, but does plan to establish a standard and timeline for the food industry to switch to natural alternatives and revoke authorization for dyes not in production. Additionally, the FDA said it would authorize four new natural color additives. Several food manufacturers have already announced plans to ditch synthetic colors. That includes General Mills, Pepsico, ConAgra, Nestle, McCormick, Tyson Foods, Sam's Club, JM Smucker, Hershey, Kraft Heinz, and dozens of companies that make ice cream and frozen dairy desserts. Mars, however, was a holdout as of mid-July. The company now stands to be among the first to have products without artificial dyes available. Artificial dyes are used widely in U.S. foods. In Canada and in Europe — where synthetic colors are required to carry warning labels — manufacturers mostly use natural substitutes. Several states, including California and West Virginia, have passed laws restricting the use of artificial colors in foods. Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children. The FDA has maintained that the approved dyes are safe and that 'the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives.' The FDA currently allows 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes. Removing dyes from the food supply will not address the chief health problems that plague Americans, said Susan Mayne, a Yale University chronic disease expert and former director of the FDA's food center. 'With every one of their announcements, they're focusing in on something that's not going to accomplish what they say it is,' Mayne said of Kennedy's initiatives. 'Most of these food dyes have been in our food supply for 100 years. … So why aren't they driving toward reductions in things that do drive chronic disease rates?'
Business Wire
8 minutes ago
- Business Wire
HealthPartners launches simple, copay-only health plan
BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HealthPartners is launching a variable copay benefit plan that aims to provide unparalleled transparency of cost and coverage to members. 'We developed Simplica in response to the growing demand for more predictable benefits.' -Andrea Walsh, HealthPartners president and CEO Share HealthPartners Simplica NextGen Copay health plan has no deductible or coinsurance for in-network care, and members see what they'll pay up front before scheduling. Copay amounts for specific services at each hospital or clinic vary based on the quality and affordability of the care delivered. A key feature of the plan is the personalized digital experience fully integrated within a member's HealthPartners account. Using HealthPartners' Find Care tool, members can search by condition, provider or service; compare care options; and see their exact copay before scheduling. Members pay less when they choose care with better outcomes. 'We developed Simplica in response to the growing demand for more predictable benefits,' says Andrea Walsh, HealthPartners president and CEO. 'This plan gives members the cost clarity and ease they expect from their health plan and guides them in making informed decisions about where to get the care they need.' For example, the copay for an office visit will range from $20 to $150 depending upon the plan option, care site and service. Most same day labs and x-rays are bundled into the copay – helping reduce unexpected costs. Services that may require a separate copay are also visible through the Find Care digital experience. In addition, many virtual care options are covered at a $0 copay. The plan will launch Jan. 1, 2026, and is initially available to large-group, self-insured employers in the Twin Cities metro and surrounding counties. Simplica can save companies up to 15% in claim costs and that translates into savings for employees. 'Unlike third-party platforms or standalone applications, Simplica delivers one seamless experience that makes it easier for members and employers to understand and manage costs,' says Moe Suleiman, HealthPartners senior vice president of health solutions. 'This plan ties copays to provider value, guides members in real time, and delivers the digital-first convenience today's workforce expects.' For more information, visit the Simplica NextGen Copay website. About HealthPartners HealthPartners is a nonprofit organization with a mission of improving health and well-being in partnership with its members, patients and community. An integrated system of care and coverage since its founding in 1957, HealthPartners operates hospitals and clinics, health plans, and a research and education institute. The Minneapolis-based organization serves more than 1.3 million patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin and 1.7 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. For more information, visit
New York Post
38 minutes ago
- New York Post
Costco won't sell abortion pills after outcry from religious groups
Costco said it will not offer abortion pills at any of its more than 500 pharmacies nationwide, a move celebrated by religious groups that lobbied against the drug being dispensed by retailers. The Washington state-based wholesaler insisted its decision was based on a lack of customer interest in the medication, Mifepristone, which together with another medicine called misoprostol, is used to end a pregnancy within 10 weeks of gestation. It didn't address whether pressure from conservative organizations influenced the move. 4 A Costco location in the US, one of more than 500 company pharmacies that will not provide Mifepristone. Getty Images A coalition of religious groups including Idaho-based Inspire Investing, the conservative legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom and treasurers and other financial officials from Ohio, Texas, Nevada and Utah had contacted the retailer last year requesting it not carry the drug, according to Bloomberg News. 'It's a very significant win and it's one we hope to build on this coming year,' said Michael Ross, an attorney working with Alliance Defending Freedom's corporate engagement division. Ross indicated the coalition plans to target Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS next. Both pharmacy chains currently provide mifepristone in states that don't have abortion restrictions. People living in states that have severely limited abortion can obtain the medication by mail from states without such bans. The religious investors sent similar requests last year to Kroger, Walmart and Albertsons alongside Costco, urging them against carrying the medication. Kroger responded that it has never provided abortion pills and continues monitoring regulatory developments. Neither Walmart nor Albertsons currently stocks the medicine. Costco's decision intensifies the ongoing debate about access to the medication. 4 Mifepristone tablets are part of a two-drug regimen to terminate early pregnancies. AP New York City Comptroller Brad Lander had written to various retailers in July last year representing city pension funds, encouraging them to pursue authorization for offering the drug. 'Costco's decision to refuse to dispense mifepristone is disappointing and short-sighted,' a representative from Lander's office told Bloomberg. 'Failure to provide access to proven safe and FDA-approved medication under the guise of 'weak demand' risks isolating customers and undermines the company's credibility.' The Post has sought comment from Costco and Lander. The religious organizations have promised to continue to ramp up pressure. 'We have this momentum,' said Tim Schwarzenberger, who leads corporate engagement at Inspire, which manages the biggest religious exchange-traded fund. 'Now there is a chance to turn to some of the other retailers.' doesn't presently sell the medication, and Schwarzenberger indicated his organization will work to maintain that status. 4 A patient prepares to take mifepristone, which blocks progesterone to end an early-stage pregnancy. AP Amazon didn't provide a response to inquiries. Walgreens declined to comment but referenced information on its website stating: 'The US Supreme Court's ruling on mifepristone access allows Walgreens to continue to dispense mifepristone under the FDA guidelines.' CVS confirmed it distributes mifepristone in certain states where permitted after completing what it called a thorough certification procedure. 'We have a long history of supporting and advancing women's health and we remain focused on meeting their unique health needs. This includes providing access to safe, legal, and evidence-based reproductive health services,' the company stated. The elimination of nationwide abortion protections has resulted in uneven access throughout the US, leading telehealth providers to address some service gaps. Various state legislators have proposed legislation to designate mifepristone as a restricted drug and reduce telehealth availability. According to tracking by the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit research organization, lawmakers introduced 32 proposals to prohibit medication abortion and 38 to restrict access during the 2025 legislative period, representing the highest number since the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Data from the Society of Family Planning, an abortion rights organization, shows most abortions in America still occur either at medical facilities or through prescriptions from doctors filled at pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens. A smaller percentage involves prescriptions delivered by mail. 4 Anti-abortion demonstrators rally outside the US Supreme Court in March of last year as debate over medication abortion continues. AP Following increased state-level abortion restrictions, more women have pursued online mifepristone prescriptions for mail delivery. These shipments now represent approximately 25% of American abortions, up from 5 percent before the 2022 Supreme Court decision that ended federal abortion protections. Eight states permitting abortion have enacted protective legislation shielding doctors from prosecution when prescribing mifepristone to patients in states with abortion prohibitions. Ushma Upadhyay, a reproductive sciences professor at the University of California, San Francisco, explained that CVS, Walgreens and similar pharmacies don't provide the medication in states prohibiting abortion, creating difficulties for women seeking the procedure. Telehealth providers can utilize protective laws to ship pills directly to states with restrictions, she noted. This has generated legal disputes. A Texas resident filed a lawsuit in July against a California physician for prescribing abortion medication to his girlfriend. A New York doctor faces criminal charges in Louisiana and a lawsuit from Texas's Attorney General for shipping pills to patients in those states.
