Quit Genius Selected for Evernorth Digital Health Formulary to Provide Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorder Care

Press Release

NEW YORK, NY – September 15, 2022 – Two additional solutions by Quit Genius, the world’s first digital clinic for treating multiple substance addictions, have been added to the Evernorth Digital Health Formulary, which connects employers, insurers, and patients with innovative, affordable, evidence-based care that meet their broader healthcare needs.  These solutions are in addition to Quit Genius’ tobacco use disorder care solution, which was added to the Formulary in 2019, and rounds out a suite of substance use disorder care.

“More than 53 million Americans 12 years or older misused prescription drugs within the last year, and 60 percent of Americans misused tobacco and alcohol in the last thirty days,” said Yusuf Sherwani, M.D., co-founder and CEO of Quit Genius. “The pandemic has left a destructive wake of mental health and addiction issues, and employers are struggling to keep employees healthy and provide them with access to evidence-based addiction care. We’ve expanded our digital clinic to offer solutions for tobacco, alcohol and opioid addictions, as we strongly believe employers and health payers need an end-to-end solution for multiple addictions focused on the continuum of addiction care. We are proud to collaborate with forward-thinking organizations like Evernorth to provide these services to help patients access better care to aid their recovery.”

Opioid addiction has become a serious epidemic in the U.S., with drug overdose deaths topping 100,000 in the past year.  75 percent of U.S. employers are directly impacted by opioid use, and only 17 percent of those employers feel prepared to deal with the issue. Additionally, one year of increased alcohol consumption during COVID will result in 18,700 cases of liver failure by 2040; a devastating statistic for individuals as well as a major healthcare cost for employers to absorb. When multiple addictions are at play, costs and care become even more complex.

  • 70% of those with alcohol use disorder are also addicted to tobacco
  • 22% of those with opioid use disorder are also addicted to alcohol
  • 18% of those who use tobacco also have an opioid use disorder

To meet this urgent need and give employers an affordable healthcare benefit that provides broader access and better care for employees, Quit Genius now offers care for alcohol and opioid addictions. The program is based on the same proven Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) approach as its tobacco addiction program and includes:

  • Physician-led clinical care, including telehealth appointments with a physician or nurse practitioner
  • At-home testing and adherence devices to hold members accountable and ensure member safety
  • Prescribed Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to manage cravings and prevent relapse
  • Unlimited one-on-one psychological therapy with licensed drug and alcohol counselors available 24/7 through the Quit Genius mobile app
  • A personalized cognitive behavioral therapy journey delivered through the Quit Genius mobile app with audio sessions and mindful exercises

“In a crowded digital health marketplace, Evernorth ensures that each solution on the Digital Health Formulary is designed to deliver better health outcomes and lower costs for our patients and our clients who pay for their care,” said Glen Stettin, M.D., chief innovation officer, Evernorth. “By adding these evidence-based solutions for alcohol and opioid use disorders, we’re able to provide a suite of care solutions for substance use disorder and connect more people to convenient, private, and personalized support.”

Already recognized as the #1 digital clinic for substance addictions, Quit Genius grew revenue by 10x in 2021, and now partners with more than 100 employer and health plan clients, covering 2.5M lives. Its headcount grew by 4x in the past year. Quit Genius tobacco use disorder solution is the only solution with 9 peer-reviewed studies, including a randomized controlled trial, demonstrating best-in-class outcomes.


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.

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